Transgenic animals and cell lines for screening drugs effective for the treatment or prevention of alzheimer&#39;s disease

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are transgenic animals and transfected cell lines expressing a protein associated with Alzheimer&#39;s Disease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignant astrocytomas, and glioblastomas. Also disclosed is the use of such transgenic animals and transfected cell lines to screen potential drug candidates for treating or preventing Alzheimer&#39;s disease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignant astrocytomas, and glioblastomas. The invention also relates to new antisense oligonucleotides, ribozymes, triplex forming DNA and external guide sequences that can be used to treat or prevent Alzheimer&#39;s disease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignant astrocytomas, and glioblastomas.

STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY-SPONSOREDRESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

[0001] This invention was made with U.S. Government support under grantnos. CA-35711, AA-00026 and AA-002169, awarded by the NationalInstitutes of Health. The U.S. Government has certain rights in thisinvention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention is in the field of genetic engineering andmolecular biology. In particular, the invention is directed totransgenic animals and transfected cell lines expressing a proteinassociated with Alzheimer's Disease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignantastrocytomas, and glioblastomas. This invention is also directed to theuse of such transgenic animals and transfected cell lines to screenpotential drug candidates for treating or preventing Alzheimer'sdisease. The invention also relates to new antisense oligonucleotides,ribozymes, triplex forming DNA and external guide sequences that can beused to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease.

[0004] 2. Related Art

[0005] Alzheimer's disease (AD) (Khachaturian, Z. S., “Diagnosis ofAlzheimer's Disease,” Arch. Neurol. 421:1097-1105 (1985)) is the mostprevalent neurodegenerative disease and the most common cause ofdementia in the Western hemisphere. AD neurodegeneration ischaracterized by prominent atrophy of corticolimbic structures withneuronal loss, neurofibrillary tangle formation, aberrant proliferationof neurites, senile plaques, and βA4-amyloid deposition in the brain(Khachaturian, Z. S.). Approximately 90 percent of AD occurssporadically. The cause is unknown, but the most important overall riskfactor is aging (Takman, A., “Epidemiology of Alzheimer's Disease.Issues of Etiology and Validity,” Acta Neurol. Scand. Suppl.145:1-70(1993)). The apolipoprotein ε4 genotype (Corder, E. H. et al.,“Gene Does of Apolipoprotein E Type 4 Allele and the Risk ofAlzheimer'sDisease in Late Onset Families, Science 261:921-923 (1993)) and a familyhistory of Trisomy 21 Down syndrome (Lai, F. and Williams, R. S., “AProspective Study of Alzheimer Disease in Down Syndrome,” Arch. Neurol.46:849-853 (1989) increase risk or accelerate the course of sporadic AD.Familial forms of AD, which account for 5 to 10 percent of the cases,have been linked to mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP)gene (Kennedy, A. M. et al., “Familial Alzheimer's Disease. A PedigreeWith a Mis-Sense Mutation in the Amyloid Precursor Protein Gene (AmyloidPrecursor Protein 717 Valine—>Glycine,” Brain 309-324 (1993); Peacock,M. L. et al., “Novel Amyloid Precursor Protein Gene Mutation (Codon665Asp) in a Patient with Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease,” Ann. Neurol.35:432-438 (1994); Tanzi, R. E. et al., “Assessment of AmyloidBeta-Protein Precursor Gene Mutations in a Large Set of Familial andSporadic Alzheimer's Disease Cases,“Am. J Hum. Genet. 51:273-282 (1992))located on Chromosome 21 (Robakis, N. K. et al., Chromosome 21q21Sublocalization of Gene Encoding Beta-Amyloid Peptide in CerebralVessels and Neuritic (Senile) Plaques of People with Alzheimer Diseaseand Down Syndrome,” Lancet 1:384-385 (1987)), or presenilin geneslocated on Chromosomes 1 and 14 (Levy-Lahad, E. et al., “Candidate Genefor the Chromosome 1 Familial Alzheimer's Disease Locus,” Science18:973-977 (1995); Sorbi, S. et al., “Missense Mutation of S 182 Gene inItalian Families With Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease,” Lancet346:439-440 (1995); Sherrington, R. et al., “Cloning of a Gene BearingMissense Mutations in Early-Onset Familial Alzheimer's Disease, Nature375:754-760 (1995); Rogaev, E. I. et al., “Familial Alzheimer's Diseasein Kindreds With Missense Mutations in a Gene on Chromosome 1 Related tothe Alzheimer's Disease Type 3 Gene,” Nature 376:775-778 (1995);Barinaga, M. et al., “Candidate Gene for the Chromosome 1 FamilialAlzheimer's Disease Locus,” Science 269:973-977 (1995)). Over-expressionand abnormal cleavage of APP may promote AD neurodegeneration since allindividuals with Trisomy 21 Down syndrome who survive beyond the fourthdecade develop AD with extensive central nervous system (CNS)accumulations of PA4-amyloid (Lai, F. and Williams, R. S., “AProspective Study of Alzheimer Disease in Down Syndrome,” Arch. Neurol.46:849-853 (1989)), and experimentally, βA4-amyloid is neurotoxic andapotogenic (LaFerla, F. M. et al., “The Alzheimer's A Beta PeptideInduces Neurodegeneration and Apoptotic Cell Death in Transgenic Mice,”Nat. Genet. 9:21-30 (1995). In addition, missense mutations inpersenilin 1, as occurs in nature, cause vasculopathy and massiveaccumulations of peptides in the brain (Lemere, C. A. et al., “The E280APresenilin 1 Alzheimer Mutation Produces Increased Aβ42 Deposition andSevere Cerebellar Pathology,” Nature Med. 2:1146-1150 (1996); Mann, D.M. et al., “Amyloid Beta Protein (Abeta) Deposition in Chromosome14-Linked Alzheimer's Disease: Predominance of Abeta42(43),” Ann Neurol.40:149-156 (1996)).

[0006] Central nervous system biochemical and molecular abnormalitiesidentified in AD include: 1) increased phosphorylation of tau and othercytoskeletal proteins in neurons (Grundke-Iqbal, I. et al., “AbnormalPhosphorylation of the Microtubule-Associated Protein τ (tau) inAlzheimer Cytoskeletal Pathology,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.83:4913-4917 (1986)); 2) aberrant expression of genes modulated withneuritic sprouting such as the growth associated protein, GAP-43 (de laMonte, S. M. et al., “Aberrant GAP-43 Gene Expression in Alzheimer'sDisease,” Am. J. Pathol. 147:934-946 (1995)), constitutive endothelialnitric oxide synthase (de la Monte, S. M. and Bloch, K. D. “AberrantExpression of the Constitutive Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene inAlzheimer's Disease,” Molecular and Chemical Neuropathy 29: (in press))transforming growth factor β (Peress, N. S. and Perillo, E.,“Differential Expression of TGF-beta 1, 2, and 3 Isotypes in Alzheimer'sDisease: a Comparative Immunohistochemical Study With CerebralInfarction, Aged Human and Mouse Control Brains,” J. Neuropathol. Exp.Neurol. 54: 802-811 (1995)), and metallothionine-3 (Aschner, M. “TheFunctional Significance of Brain Metallothioneins,” Faseb. J.10:1129-1136 (1996)); 3) increased expression of genes associated withglial cell activation, such as glial fibrillary acidic protein(Goodison, K. L. et al., “Neuronal and Glial Gene Expression inNeocortex of Down's Syndrome,” J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 52:192-198(1993)) and alpha-1 antichymotrypsin (Pasternack, J. M. et al.,“Astrocytes in Alzheimer's Disease Gray Matter Express Alpha1-Antichymotrypsin mRNA,” Am. J. Path. 135:827-834 (1989); and 4)altered expression of genes that protect neurons from either cytotoxicor programmed cell death, including sulfated glycoprotein-2 (May, P. C.et al., “Dynamics of Gene Expression for a Hippocampal GlycoproteinElevated in Alzheimer's Disease and in Response to Experimental Lesionsin Rat,” Neuron 5:831-839 (1990), cathepsin D (Cataldo, A. M. et al.,“Gene Expression and Cellular Content of Cathepsin D in Alzheimer'sDisease Brain: Evidence for Early Up-Regulation of theEndosomal-Lysosomal System,” Neuron 14:671-680 (1995)), superoxidedismutase 1 (Somerville, M. J. et al., “Localization and Quantitation of68 kDA Neurofilament and Superoxide Dismutase-1 mRNA in AlzheimerBrains, Brain Res. Mol. Brain Res. 9:1-8 (1991), mitochondrialcytochrome oxidase (Chandrasekaran, K. et al., “Impairment inMitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Gene Expression In Alzheimer Disease,”Brain Res. Mol. Brain. Res. 24:336-340 (1994)), Clq component ofcomplement (Fischer, B. et al., “Complement Clq and C3 mRNA Expressionin the Frontal Cortex of Alzheimer's Patients,” J. Mol. Med. 73:465-471(1995)), Calbindin D28k (Yamagishi, M. et al., “Ontogenetic Expressionof Spot 35 Protein (Calbindin-D28k) in Human Olfactory Receptor Neuronsand its Decrease in Alzheimer's Disease Patients,” Ann. Ontol. Rhinol.Laryngol. 105:132-139 (1996), and bcl-2 (O'Barr, S. et al, “Expressionof the Protooncogene bcl-2 in Alzheimer's Disease Brain,” Neurobiol.Aging 17:131-136 (1996).

[0007] In previous studies, we demonstrated increased immunoreactivityin AD brains using a polyclonal antisera prepared against a pancreaticprotein (Ozturk, M. et al., “Elevated Levels of an Exocrine PancreaticSecretory Protein in Alzheimer's Disease Brain,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.U.S.A. 86:419-423 (1989); de 1a Monte, S. M. et al., “EnhancedExpression of an Exocrine Pancreatic Protein in Alzheimer's Disease andthe Developing Human Brain,” J. Clin. Invest.86: 1004-1013 (1990);WO90/06993). Using such polyclonal antibodies, we isolated the AD7c-NTPcDNA from an AD brain expression library (WO94/23756). In WO94/23756,this clone is also referred to as AD 10-7, which was deposited in DH1cells at the ATCC under accession no. 69262. The nucleotide sequence ofthis cDNA is shown in FIG. 16R of WO94/23756. However, this sequencecomprises numerous errors. See also WO96/15272 (Seq. ID No. 120, pages168-170), which also comprises numerous errors. As a result, thepredicted amino acid sequence (Seq. ID No. 121; WO96/15272) is alsowrong.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention is related to transgenic animals and celllines which over express the AD7c-NTP and use thereof to screencandidate drugs for use in the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer'sdisease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignant astrocytomas andglioblastomas.

[0009] In particular, the invention relates to a DNA construct, whereinsaid DNA construct comprises a DNA molecule having Seq. IDNo. 1 or a DNAsequence at least 40% homologous thereto, or a fragment thereof.Preferably, the DNA molecule is under control of a heterologous,neuro-specific promoter.

[0010] The invention also relates to cell lines containing the DNAconstruct of the invention.

[0011] The invention also relates to transgenic non-human animals whichcomprise the DNA construct of the invention. Preferably, the transgenicanimals over-express AD7c-NTP.

[0012] The invention also relates to an in vitro method for screeningcandidate drugs that are potentially useful for the treatment orprevention of Alzheimer's disease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignantastrocytomas, and glioblastomas, which comprises

[0013] (a) contacting a candidate drug with a host transfected with aDNA construct, wherein the DNA construct comprises a DNA molecule ofSeq. ID No. 1 or a DNA molecule at least 40% homologous thereto, or afragment thereof, and wherein said host over expresses the protein codedfor by said DNA molecule, and

[0014] (b) detecting at least one of the following:

[0015] (i) the suppression or prevention of expression of the protein;

[0016] (ii) the increased degradation of the protein; or

[0017] (iii) the reduction of frequency of at least one of neuriticsprouting, nerve cell death, degenerating neurons, neurofibrillarytangles, or irregular swollen neurites and axons in the host;

[0018] due to the drug candidate compared to a control host that has notreceived the candidate drug.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the host is a transgenic animal. Inanother preferred embodiment, the host is a cell in vitro.

[0020] The invention is also directed to antisense oligonucleotideswhich are complementary to an NTP nucleic acid sequence and which isnonhomologous to PTP nucleic acid sequences and that correspond toregions that were incorrectly sequenced in the past, as well aspharmaceutical compositions comprising such oligonucleotides and apharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

[0021] The invention is also directed to ribozymes comprising a targetsequence which is complementary to an NTP sequence and nonhomologous toPTP nucleic acid sequences and that correspond to regions that wereincorrectly sequenced in the past, as well as pharmaceuticalcompositions comprising such ribozymes and a pharmaceutically acceptablecarrier.

[0022] The invention is also directed to oligodeoxynucleotides that formtriple stranded regions with the AD7c-NTP gene, which are nonhomologousto PTP nucleic acid sequences, and that correspond to regions that wereincorrectly sequenced in the past, as well as pharmaceuticalcompositions comprising such oligodeoxynucleotides and apharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The invention is also directed to amethod of achieving pharmaceutical delivery of the antisenseoligonucleotides, ribozymes and triple helix oligonucleotides to thebrain through acceptable carriers or expression vectors.

[0023] The invention is also directed to the therapeutic use of theantisense oligonucleotides, ribozymes and triple helix oligonucleotidesto modify or improve dementias of the Alzheimer's type of neuronaldegeneration; as well as to treat or prevent neuroectodermal tumors,malignant astrocytomas, and glioblastomas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0024]FIG. 1 depicts the nucleotide and translated amino acid sequence(Seq ID Nos. 1 and 2) of the AD7c-NTP cDNA. The shaded regioncorresponds to the nucleic acid sequences detected in 6 AD brains byRT-PCR analysis of mRNA. The cDNA exhibits significant homology with Alugene, and to an unknown gene in the Huntington region, Chromosome 4ql6.3(underlined). The open reading frame begins with the first methioninecodon. The translated amino acid sequence encodes a 41.3 kD protein witha hydrophobic leader sequence (italics) followed by a myristoylationmotif (bold, italics) and potential AI cleavage site. That same region(italics, underlined) exhibits significant homology with theinsulin/IGF-1 chimeric receptor. There are 17 potential glycogensynthase kinase-3, protein kinase C, or cAMP or Ca-dependent kinase IIphosphorylation motifs and one transforming growth factor (tgf)motif(double underlined). The embolded amino acid sequences exhibitsignificant homology with the A4 alternatively spliced mutant form ofNF2, β subunit of integrin, and human decay accelerating factor 2precursor. The boxed amino acid sequences exhibit significant homologywith human integral membrane protein and myelin oligoglycoprotein-16.

[0025] FIGS. 2A-2D depict AD7c-NTP expression in vitro and in vivo.(2A): Recombinant protein detected by in vitro translation using sensestrand cRNA transcripts. (2B): Western blot analysis of purifiedrecombinant protein demonstrating specific immunoreactivity with the Tagand N3I4 AD7c-NTP monoclonal antibodies, but not with non-relevant FB50monoclonal antibody. (2C): Western blot analysis of BOSC cells stablytransfected with pcDNA3-AD7c-NTP or pcDNA3 (empty vector). The blotswere probed with the N3I4 AD7c-NTP antibody. (2D): Significantlyincreased levels of the 41-45 kD AD7c-NTP protein in AD frontal loberelative to age-matched control frontal lobe tissue. Similar resultswere obtained for temporal lobe tissue. (2E): Higher levels of the 41-45kD and 19-21 kD AD7c-NTP proteins in late, end-stage (L) AD comparedwith early, less symptomatic (E) AD. All tissue samples were taken fromthe frontal lobe. Note the clusters of 3 or 4 bands between ˜41 and ˜45kD, probably corresponding to different degrees of phosphorylation.(2F): Western blot analysis of postmortem ventricular fluiddemonstrating higher levels of the 41 kD AD7c-NTP molecules in ADcompared with aged control samples using the N3I4 antibody. The ˜28-30kD band may represent a degradation product. Also note detection of the˜19-21 kD N3I4-immunoreactive molecules in AD.

[0026] FIGS. 3A-3F depict AD7c-NTP mRNA expression in AD and agedcontrol brains. Northern blot analysis of AD and aged control frontallobe RNA detected ˜1.4 kB transcripts corresponding to the size of theAD&c-NTP cDNA. In addition, ˜0.9 kB transcripts corresponding to adifferent cDNA were detected in all brains, but not in other tissues.Densitometric analysis of the autoradiograms revealed variable levels ofAD7c-NTP mRNA expression in the AD group (3A), but significantly highermean levels of the 1.4 kB AD7c-NTP transcript in the AD (N=17) relativeto the aged control (N=11) group (P<0.01). (FIGS. 3C and 3D):Brightfield photomicrographs of in situ hybridization results usingantisense (3C) or sense (3D; negative control) digoxigenin-labeled cRNAprobes. Arrows indicate examples of neurons and dark grains representpositive hybridization signals. (FIGS. 3E and 3F): Darkfieldphotomicrographs of in situ hybridization results demonstrating moreintense labeling (white grains) in AD (3E) relative to aged control (3F)cortical neurons (arrows) in the frontal lobe. Probe labeling wasdetected with antidigoxigenin and alkaline phosphatase substrates (seebelow). The white signals aggregated over neurons (pyramidal shaped)represent positive results, and black areas indicate absent probebinding.

[0027] FIGS. 4A-4H depict increased AD7c-NTP immunoreactivity in AD (4A)relative to aged control (4B) cortical neurons by immunohistochemicalstaining with the N2T8 (4A and 4B). N2J1 immunoreactivity in AD brains(FIGS. 4C, 4E-4H) demonstrating high-level AD7c-NTP expression oraccumulation in the perikarya of cytologically intact (4C) as well asdegenerating (4E) neurons. In addition, the N2J1 antibody wasimmunoreactive with abnormal dystrophic cell processes occurring inaggregates (sprouts) (4F), dispersed in the white matter (4G), andcorresponding to irregular beaded axons (4H). FIG. 4D depicts ADcerebral cortex immunostained with non-relevant antibody. The sectionsin FIGS. 4A and 4B were counter stained with hematoxylin to provide acontrasting background.

[0028]FIGS. 5A and 5B depict graphs showing increased cell death inpcDNA3-AD7c-NTP transfected SH-Sy5y cells. Synchronized cells were fedwith medium containing 10% fetal calf serum, and DNA synthesis wasassessed by ³H-thymidine incorporation into DNA (5A). The density ofviable cells was determined at each time point (5A). Despite higherlevels of DNA synthesis (5B), cell density was significantly reduced in4 replicate AD7c-NTP-transfected cultures compared with control(pcDNA3-transfected) cells. AD7c-NTP-transfected cells also exhibitedincreased nuclear p53 imrnunoreactivity and increased nuclear DNAfragmentation by the in situ assay for nicked DNA (TUNEL), suggestingthat over-expression of AD7c-NTP in neuronal cells causes apoptosis.

[0029] FIGS. 6A-6G showthat AD7c-NTP over-expression in transfectedneuronal cells results in increased neuritic sprouting. (6A): SH-Sy5ycells stably transfected with pcDNA3 (empty vector). (6B-6D): SH-Sy5ycells stably transfected with pcDNA3-AD7c-NTP. Note fine neuriticprocesses (arrows) on most cells in FIGS. 6B-6D. Also note lower celldensity and numerous round refractile dead cells (arrowheads) in FIG. 6Dcompared with FIG. 6A. (FIG. 6E-6G): Immunocytochemical staining ofSH-Sy5y cells stably transfected with pcDNA3 (6E) or pcDNA3-AD7c-NTP(6F, 6G) using N3I4 monoclonal antibody. Note intense labeling ofperikarya and cell processes (arrows) in 6F and 6G and absent labelingin 6E.

[0030] FIGS. 7A-7C depict modulation of gene expression following IPTGinduction of AD7c-NTP expression. LacA-control cells (FIG. 7A) lackAD7c-NTP; LacB-B6 cells (FIG. 7B) and LacF-B6 cells (FIG. 7C) are twodifferent clones with different levels of AD7c-NTP induction. Changes inthe level of expression 24 hours after induction are indicated for genesinvolved in AD, neural sprouting, and apoptosis.

[0031] FIGS. 8A-8D depict IPTG dose-dependent increases in the level ofthe NTP (FIG. A), Tau (FIG. B), Synaptophysin (FIG. C) and p53 (FIG. D)proteins. The percent change of the amount of each protein is presentedas a function of IPTG concentration (mM).

[0032]FIGS. 9A and 9B depict the effects of AD7c-NTP expression in CYZneuronal cells on metabolic (MTT) activity and cell viability. Lac A-LacF represent six different clones, and B6 indicates AD7c-NTP expression.The percent change for MTT activity (FIG. 9A) and cell viability (FIG.9B) are indicated for control (Lac A-Control) and AD7c-NTP expressingcell lines.

[0033]FIGS. 10A and 10B depict the effect of AD7c-NTP expression on cellviability. Nonexpressing Lac A Control and cell lines expressingAD7c-NTP at various levels, Lac B-B6 and Lac F-B6, were assayed forviability after varying exposure time to the protein expression inducingagent (IPTG) and various oxidative stress toxins.

[0034]FIG. 11 depicts DNA fragmentation after IPTG induction of AD7c-NTPexpression, thereby providing a quantitative assessment of apoptosis.Stably transfected CYZ neuronal cell lines, Lac A, Lac B and Lac F,which express various levels of AD7c-NTP after induction, were incubatedin the presence of ³²dCTP label. The amount of radioactive isotopeincorporated, under control (uninduced) and IPTG induction conditions,into the respective cell line DNAs is presented.

[0035]FIG. 12 depicts the percent change in viability for cells stablytransfected with and expressing AD7c-NTP under conditions that promoteand reduce or block oxidative stress. Agents promoting oxidative stressare the following: hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) diethyldithiocarbamic acid(DDC), S-nitro-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP) and N-acetyl cysteine; andthe agent utilized to block or reduce oxidative stress is pygroglutamate(PG).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] Definitions

[0037] In the description that follows, a number of terms used inrecombinant DNA technology are utilized extensively. In order to providea clear and consistent understanding of the specification and claims,including the scope to be given such terms, the following definitionsare provided.

[0038] Cloning Vector.

[0039] A plasmid or phage DNA or other DNA sequence which is able toreplicate autonomously in a host cell, and which is characterized by oneor a small number of restriction endonuclease recognition sites at whichsuch DNA sequences may be cut in a determinable fashion without loss ofan essential biological function of the vector, and into which a DNAfragment may be spliced in order to bring about its replication andcloning. The cloning vector may further contain a marker suitable foruse in the identification of cells transformed with the cloning vector.Markers, for example, provide tetracycline resistance or ampicillinresistance.

[0040] Expression Vector.

[0041] A vector similar to a cloning vector but which is capable ofenhancing the expression of a gene which has been cloned into it, aftertransformation into a host. The cloned gene is usually placed under thecontrol of (i.e., operably linked to) certain control sequences such aspromoter sequences. Promoter sequences may be either constitutive orinducible.

[0042] Substantially Pure.

[0043] As used herein means that the desired purified protein isessentially free from contaminating cellular components, said componentsbeing associated with the desired protein in nature, as evidenced by asingle band following polyacrylamide-sodium dodecyl sulfate gelelectrophoresis. Contaminating cellular components may include, but arenot limited to, proteinaceous, carbohydrate, or lipid impurities.

[0044] The term “substantially pure” is further meant to describe amolecule which is homogeneous by one or more purity or homogeneitycharacteristics used by those of skill in the art. For example, asubstantially pure NTP will show constant and reproduciblecharacteristics within standard experimental deviations for parameterssuch as the following: molecular weight, chromatographic migration,amino acid composition, amino acid sequence, blocked or unblockedN-terminus, HPLC elution profile, biological activity, and other suchparameters. The term, however, is not meant to exclude artificial orsynthetic mixtures of the factor with other compounds. In addition, theterm is not meant to exclude NTP fusion proteins isolated from arecombinant host.

[0045] Recombinant Host.

[0046] According to the invention, a recombinant host may be anyprokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell which contains the desired clonedgenes on an expression vector or cloning vector. This term is also meantto include those prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells that have beengenetically engineered to contain the desired gene(s) in the chromosomeor genome of that organism. For examples of such hosts, see Sambrook etal., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Second Edition, Cold SpringHarbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York (1989). Preferredrecombinant hosts are neuronal cells transformed with the DNA constructof the invention. Such neuronal cells include brain cells that have beenisolated after mechanical disassociation of an animal brain or otheravailable neuronal cell lines.

[0047] Recombinant Vector.

[0048] Any cloning vector or expression vector which contains thedesired cloned gene(s).

[0049] Host Animal.

[0050] Transgenic animals, all of whose germ and somatic cells containthe DNA construct of the invention. Such transgenic animals are ingeneral vertebrates. Preferred Host Animals are mammals such asnon-human primates, mice, sheep, pigs, cattle, goats, guinea pigs,rodents, e.g. rats, and the like. The term Host Animal also includesanimals in all stages of development, including embryonic and fetalstages.

[0051] Promoter.

[0052] A DNA sequence generally described as the 5′ region of a gene,located proximal to the start codon. The transcription of an adjacentgene(s) is initiated at the promoter region. If a promoter is aninducible promoter, then the rate of transcription increases in responseto an inducing agent. In contrast, the rate of transcription is notregulated by an inducing agent if the promoter is a constitutivepromoter. According to the invention, preferred promoters areheterologous to the AD7c-NTP gene, that is, the promoters do not driveexpression of the gene in a human. Such promoters include the CMVpromoter (InVitrogen, San Diego, Calif.), the SV40, MMTV, and hMTIIapromoters (U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,034), the HSV-1 ⅘ promoter (U.S. Pat. No.5,501,979), and the early intermediate HCMV promoter (WO92/17581). Also,it is preferred that the promoter is neuro-specific, that is, it isinduced selectively in neuronal tissue. Also, neuro-specific enhancerelements may be employed. Examples of neuro-specific promoters includebut are not limited to the promoter which controls the neurofilamentgene (WO91/02788; Byrne and Ruddle, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA86:5473-5477 (1989)), the neuron specific promoter of the humanneurofilament light gene (NFL) (U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,827); the promoterof the β2-subunit of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (EP 0171 105; U.S. application Ser. No. 08/358,627), the hThy-1 promoter(W095/03397; U.S. application Ser. No. 08/096,944; Gordon, J. et al.,Cell 50:445-452 (1987)); the Tα1 α-tubulin promoter (WO95/25795; U.S.application Ser. No. 08/215,083; Gloster et al., J. Neurosci.14:7319-7330 (1994)), the APP promoter, the rat neuron specificpromoter, the human β actin gene promoter, the human platelet derivedgrowth factor B (PDGF-B) chain gene promoter, the rat sodium channelgene promoter, the mouse myelin basic protein gene promoter, the humancopper-zinc superoxide dismutase gene promoter, mammalian POU-domainregulatory gene promoter (W093/14200; U.S. application Ser. Nos.07/817,584 and 07/915,469); human platelet derived growth factor B(PDGF-B) chain gene promoter (WO96/40895 U.S. application Ser. Nos.08/486,018 and 08/486,538; Sasahara et al., Cell 64:217-227 (1991)); andthe neuron-specific enolase promoter (McConlogue et al., Aging 15:S12(1994); Higgins et al., Ann Neurol. 35:598-607 (1995); Mucke et al.,Brain Res. 666:151-167 (1994); Higgins et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA92:4402-4406 (1995); WO96/40896; U.S. application Ser. No. 08/480,653;and U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,742); and sequences that regulate theoligodendroglial-specific expression of JC virus, glial-specificexpression of the proteolipid protein, and the glial fibrillary acidicprotein genes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,670). Other neuro-specific promoterswill be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Since proteinphosphorylation is critical for neuronal regulation (Kennedy, “SecondMessengers and Neuronal Function,” in An Introduction to MolecularNeurobiology, Hall, Ed., Sinauer Associates, Inc. (1992)), proteinkinase promoter sequences can be used to achieve sufficient levels ofNTP gene expression.

[0053] Gene.

[0054] A DNA sequence that contains information needed for expressing apolypeptide or protein.

[0055] Structural Gene.

[0056] A DNA sequence that is transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) thatis then translated into a sequence of amino acids characteristic of aspecific polypeptide.

[0057] Antisense RNA Gene/Antisense RNA.

[0058] In eukaryotes, mRNA is transcribed by RNA polymerase II. However,it is also known that one may construct a gene containing a RNApolymerase II template wherein a RNA sequence is transcribed which has asequence complementary to that of a specific mRNA but is not normallytranslated. Such a gene construct is herein termed an “antisense RNAgene” and such a RNA transcript is termed an “antisense RNA.” AntisenseRNAs are not normally translatable due to the presence of translationstop codons in the antisense RNA sequence.

[0059] Antisense Oligonucleotide.

[0060] A DNA or RNA molecule or a derivative of a DNA or RNA moleculecontaining a nucleotide sequence which is complementary to that of aspecific mRNA. An antisense oligonucleotide binds to the complementarysequence in a specific mRNA and inhibits translation of the mRNA. Thereare many known derivatives of such DNA and RNA molecules. See, forexample, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,602,240, 5,596,091, 5,506,212, 5,521,302,5,541,307, 5,510,476, 5,514,787, 5,543,507, 5,512,438, 5,510,239,5,514,577, 5,519,134,5,554,746,5,276,019,5,286,717,5,264,423, as well asWO96/35706, WO96/32474, WO96/29337 (thiono triester modified antisenseoligodeoxynucleotide phosphorothioates), WO94/17093 (oligonucleotidealkylphosphonates and alkylphosphothioates), WO94/08004 (oligonucleotidephosphothioates, methyl phosphates, phosphoramidates, dithioates,bridged phosphorothioates, bridge phosphoramidates, sulfones, sulfates,ketos, phosphate esters and phosphorobutylamines (van der Krol et al.,Biotech. 6:958-976 (1988); Uhlmann et al., Chem. Rev. 90:542-585(1990)), WO94/02499 (oligonucleotide alkylphosphonothioates andarylphosphonothioates), and WO92/20697 (3′-end capped oligonucleotides).Particular NTP antisense oligonucleotides of the present inventioninclude derivatives such as S-oligonucleotides (phosphorothioatederivatives or S-oligos, see, Jack Cohen, Oligodeoxynucleotides,Antisense Inhibitors of Gene Expression, CRC Press (1989)). S-oligos(nucleoside phosphorothioates) are isoelectronic analogs of anoligonucleotide (O-oligo) in which a nonbridging oxygen atom of thephosphate group is replaced by a sulfur atom. The S-oligos of thepresent invention may be prepared by treatment of the correspondingO-oligos with 3H-1,2-benzodithiol-3-one-1,1-dioxide which is a sulfurtransfer reagent. See Iyer et al., J. Org. Chem. 55:4693-4698 (1990);and Iyer et al.,J. Am. Chem. Soc. 112:1253-1254 (1990).

[0061] Antisense Therapy.

[0062] A method of treatment wherein antisense oligonucleotides areadministered to a patient in order to inhibit the expression of thecorresponding protein.

[0063] Complementary DNA (cDNA).

[0064] A “complementary DNA,” or “cDNA” gene includes recombinant genessynthesized by reverse transcription of mRNA and from which interveningsequences (introns) have been removed.

[0065] Expression.

[0066] Expression is the process by which a polypeptide is produced froma structural gene. The process involves transcription of the gene intomRNA and the translation of such mRNA into polypeptide(s).

[0067] HomologousINonhomologous

[0068] Two nucleic acid molecules are considered to be “homologous” iftheir nucleotide sequences share a similarity of greater than 40%, asdetermined by HASH-coding algorithms (Wilber, W. J. and Lipman, D. J.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 80:726-730 (1983)). Two nucleic acid moleculesare considered to be “nonhomologous” if their nucleotide sequences sharea similarity of less than 40%.

[0069] Ribozyme.

[0070] A ribozyme is an RNA molecule that contains a catalytic center.The term includes RNA enzymes, self-splicing RNAs, and self-cleavingRNAs.

[0071] Ribozyme Therapy.

[0072] A method of treatment wherein ribozyme is administered to apatient in order to inhibit the translation of the target mRNA.

[0073] Fragment.

[0074] A “fragment” of a molecule such as NTP is meant to refer to anypolypeptide subset of that molecule.

[0075] Functional Derivative.

[0076] The term “functional derivatives” is intended to include the“variants,” “analogues,” or “chemical derivatives” of the molecule. A“variant” of a molecule such as NTP is meant to refer to a naturallyoccurring molecule substantially similar to either the entire molecule,or a fragment thereof. An “analogue” of a molecule such as NTP is meantto refer to a non-natural molecule substantially similar to either theentire molecule or a fragment thereof.

[0077] A molecule is said to be “substantially similar” to anothermolecule if the sequence of amino acids in both molecules issubstantially the same, and if both molecules possess a similarbiological activity. Thus, provided that two molecules possess a similaractivity, they are considered variants as that term is used herein evenif one of the molecules contains additional amino acid residues notfound in the other, or if the sequence of amino acid residues is notidentical.

[0078] As used herein, a molecule is said to be a “chemical derivative”of another molecule when it contains additional chemical moieties notnormally a part of the molecule. Such moieties may improve themolecule's solubility, absorption, biological half-life, etc. Themoieties may alternatively decrease the toxicity of the molecule,eliminate or attenuate any undesirable side effect of the molecule, etc.Examples of moieties capable of mediating such effects are disclosed inRemington's Pharmaceutical Sciences (1980) and will be apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in the art.

[0079] AD7c-NTP. The term “AD7c-NTP” refers to the protein havingsequence ID No. 2 as well as allelic variants thereof.

[0080] We have isolated a cDNA designated AD7c-NTP, that is expressed inneurons, and over-expressed in brains with AD. The 1442-nucleotideAD7c-NTP cDNA encodes a ˜41 kD membrane spanning protein that has ahydrophobic leader sequence and myristylation motif near the aminoterminus. The AD7c-NTP cDNA is an Alu sequence-containing gene withthree regions of significant homology to the alternatively spliced A4form of NF2, the β1 subunit of integrin, human integral membraneprotein, myelin oligoglycoprotein-16 precursor, and human decayaccelerating factor 2 precursor, and two regions with significanthomology with sequences in the Huntington's disease region on Chromosome4p16.3. Expression of AD7c-NTP was confirmed by nucleic acid sequencingof RT-PCR products isolated from brain. AD7c-NTP cRNA probes hybridizedwith 1.4 kB and 0.9 kB mRNA transcripts by Northern blot analysis, andmonoclonal antibodies generated with the recombinant protein wereimmunoreactive with ˜39-45 kD and ˜19-21 kD molecules by Western blotanalysis of human brain. Quantitation of data obtained from 17 AD and 11age-matched control brains demonstrated significantly higher levels ofAD7c-NTP expression in AD. In situ hybridization and immunostainingstudies localized AD7c-NTP gene expression in neurons, and confirmed theover-expression associated with AD neurodegeneration. Increased AD7c-NTPprotein levels were also detectable in cerebrospinal fluid by Westernblot analysis. The results suggest that abnormal AD7c-NTP geneexpression is associated with AD neurodegeneration. Thus, abnormalexpression of AD7c-NTP is a phenotype associated with Alzheimer'sdisease.

[0081] The confirmation that AD7c-NTP expression leads to Alzheimer'sdisease led to the expectation that transgenic animals and cell lineswhich over express the AD7c-NTP can be used to screen drugs for use inthe treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease, neuroectodermaltumors, malignant astrocytomas and glioblastomas.

[0082] The invention relates to a DNA construct, wherein said DNAconstruct comprises a DNA molecule of Seq. ID No. 1, or a fragmentthereof, or a DNA molecule which is at least 40% homologous thereto,more preferably, at least 85% homologous thereto, most preferably, atleast 90% homologous thereto. Preferably, the DNA construct encodesAD7c-NTP having Sea. ID No. 2 Also preferably, the DNA sequence is undercontrol of a heterologous neuro-specific promoter. Examples of promotersthat can be used to drive expression of AD7c-NTP in a host cell aredescribed above. Having the promoter in hand, one may simply ligate thepromoter to the DNA molecule of Seq. ID No. 1. Methods for ligating DNAfragments are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.Preferably, the DNA molecule having Seq. ID No. 1is ligated to a plasmidwhich contains the promoter and which results in the promoter being inoperable linkage to the AD7c-NTP DNA sequence.

[0083] Fragments of the DNA molecule of the invention code for proteinshaving the activity of AD7c-NTP, that is, the DNA fragments induceneutitic sprouting, nerve cell death, nerve cell degeneration,neurofibrillary tangles, and/or irregular swollen neurites in a hostwhich expresses the fragment. Such hosts include cellular hosts andtransgenic animals.

[0084] DNA molecules which are at least 40%, 85% or 90% homologous toSeq. ID No. 1 may be isolated from cDNA libraries of humans and animalsby hybridization under stringent conditions to the DNA molecule of Seq.ID No. 1 according to methods known to those of skill in the art.Stringent hybridization conditions are employed which select for DNAmolecules having at least 40%, 85% and 90% homology to Seq. ID No. 1 aredescribed in Sambrook et al., In: Molecular Cloning, A LaboratoryManual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.(1989); and Maniatis et al., Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual, ColdSpring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1985. Thehybridizations may be carried out in 6× SSC/5× Denhardt's solution/0.1%SDS at 65° C. The degree of stringency is determined in the washingstep. Thus, suitable conditions include 0.2× SSC/0.01% SDS/65° C. and0.1× SSC/0.01% SDS/65° C.

[0085] The invention also relates to cells containing the DNA constructof the invention. Examples of suitable cells that may contain the DNAconstruct of the invention include eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.Preferred are eukaryotic cells such as those derived from a vertebrateanimal including human cells, non-human primate cells, porcine cells,ovine cells and the like. Further, it is contemplated that the cell linemay be a neuronal cell line from one of these vertebrate animals.Examples of such cell lines include SH-Sy5y, pNET-1, pNET-2, hNTs(Stratagene, Inc.), and A172 (ATCC) neuronal cells. See O'Barr, S. etal., Neurobiol. Aging 17:131-136 (1996); Ozturk, M. et al., Proc. Natl.Acad. Sci. USA 86:419-423 (1989); Bieldler, et al., Cancer Res.33:2643-2652 (1973); and The et al., Nature Genet. 3:2643-2652 (1993).

[0086] Methods for introducing DNA constructs into cells in vitro, invivo and ex vivo are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,595,899, 5,521,291, 5,166,320,5,547,932, 5,354,844, 5,399,346, WO94/10569 and Citron et al., Nature360:622-674 (1995).

[0087] The invention also relates to transgenic non-human animals whichcomprise the DNA construct of the invention in each of its germ andsomatic cells and which over express AD7c-NTP. Such transgenic animalsmay be obtained, for example, by injecting the DNA construct of theinvention into a fertilized egg which is allowed to develop into anadult animal. To prepare atransgenic animal, a few hundred DNA moleculesare injected into the pro-nucleus of a fertilized one cell egg. Themicro injected eggs are then transferred into the oviducts ofpseudopregnant foster mothers and allowed to develop. It has beenreported by Brinster et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 82:4438-4442(1985), that about 25% of mice which develop will inherit one or morecopies of the micro injected DNA. Alternatively, the transgenic animalsmay be obtained by utilizing recombinant ES cells for the generation ofthe transgenes, as described by Gossler et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.USA 83:9065-9069 (1986). The offspring may be analyzed for theintegration of the transgene by isolating genomic DNA from tail tissueand the fragment coding for AD7c-NTP identified by conventionalDNA-hybridization techniques (Southern, J. Mol. Biol. 98:503-517(1975)). Animals positive for the AD7c-NTP gene are further bred toexpand the colonies of AD7c-NTP mice. General and specific examples ofmethods of preparing transgenic animals are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,602,299, 5,366,894, 5,464,758, 5,569,827, WO96/40896 (U.S. applicationSer. No. 08/480,653); WO96/40895 (U.S. application Ser. Nos. 08/486,018and 08/486,536); WO93114200 (U.S. application Ser. Nos. 07/817,584 and07/915,469); WO95/03397 (U.S. application Ser. No. 08/096,944);WO95/25792 (U.S. application Ser. No. 08/215,083); EP 0 717 105 (U.S.application Ser. No. 08/358,627); and Hogan et al., Manipulating theMouse Embryo, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.,1986); Hammer et al., Cell 63:1099-1112 (1990).

[0088] Once obtained, the transgenic animals which contain the AD7c-NTPmay be analyzed by immunohistology for evidence of AD7c-NTP expressionas well as for evidence of neuronal or neuritic abnormalities associatedwith Alzheimer's disease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignant astrocytomasand glioblastomas. Sections of the brains may be stained with antibodiesspecific for AD7c-NTP, either monoclonal or polyclonal.

[0089] The invention also relates to an in vitro method for screeningcandidate drugs that are potentially useful for the treatment orprevention of Alzheimer's disease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignantastrocytomas, and glioblastomas, which comprises

[0090] (a) contacting a candidate drug with a host transfected with aDNA construct, wherein the DNA construct comprises a DNA molecule ofSeq. ID No. 1 or a DNA molecule that is at least 90% homologous thereto,and wherein said host over expresses the protein coded for by said DNAmolecule, and

[0091] (b) detecting at least one of the following:

[0092] (i) the suppression or prevention of expression of the protein;

[0093] (ii) the increased degradation of the protein; or

[0094] (iii) the reduction of frequency of at least one of neuriticsprouting, nerve cell death, degenerating neurons, neurofibrillarytangles, or irregular swollen neurites and axons in the host;

[0095] due to the drug candidate.

[0096] In a preferred embodiment, the host is a transgenic animal. Inanother preferred embodiment, the host is a cell in vitro. Thesuppression or prevention of expression, and the increased degradationof the protein such as AD7c-NTP may be detected with antibodies specificfor AD7c-NTP. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies which are specificfor AD7c-NTP as well as methods for the qualitative and quantitativedetection of AD7c-NTP are described herein as well as in WO94/23756 andU.S. application Ser. No. 08/340,426. Such testing may be carried out onCSF of the transgenic animal or by immunohistochemical staining of atissue section from the brain of the animal. In addition, such testingmay be carried out by Western blot analysis, ELISA or RIA.

[0097] Immunohistochemical staining may also be carried out to determinethe frequency of at least one of neuritic sprouting, nerve cell death,degenerating neurons, neurofibrillary tangles, or irregular swollenneurites and axons in the animal. Since in general the animal will haveto be sacrificed, a pool of test and control transgenic animals shouldbe tested. After sacrifice, the relative frequency of neuriticsprouting, nerve cell death, degenerating neurons, neurofibrillarytangles, or irregular swollen neurites and axons is determined for bothgroups. If the test group exhibits a reduced frequency of neuriticsprouting, nerve cell death, degenerating neurons, neurofibrillarytangles, or irregular swollen neurites and axons, the drug may beconsidered promising for the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer'sdisease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignant astrocytomas, orglioblastomas.

[0098] When the host is a transgenic animal, the effect of a drugcandidate may also be tested by behavioral tests which are designed toassess learning and memory deficits. An example of such a test is theMorris water maze disclosed by Morris, Learn Motivat. 12:239-260 (1981)and WO96/40895.

[0099] In the practice of the method of the invention, the candidatedrug is administered to the transgenic animals or introduced into theculture media of cells derived from the animals or cells transfectedwith the DNA construct of the invention. The candidate drug may beadministered over a period of time and in various dosages, and theanimals or animal cells tested for alterations in AD7-c NTP expression,nerve cell degradation or histopathology. In case of transgenic animals,they may also be tested for improvement in behavior tests.

[0100] When cells are to be tested in vitro for the effect of thecandidate drug, they are grown in a growth conducive medium and themedium replaced with a media containing the candidate drug. Widevarieties of medias which promote growth of practically any cell typeare commercially available, for example, from Life Technologies, Inc.(Gaithersburg, Md.). If the candidate drug is only sparingly soluble inthe media, a stock solution may be prepared in dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO). The DMSO solution is then admixed with the media. Preferably,the DMSO concentration in the media does not exceed 0.5%, preferably, 0.1%. The cells are then incubated in the presence of the drug-containingmedia for a preselected time period (e.g. 2-10 hours) at a preselectedtemperature, for example, about 37° C. At the end of this time period,the media may again be removed and fresh media containing the candidatedrug is added. The cells are then incubated for a second preselectedtime period (e.g. 2-16 hours). This procedure can be repeated asnecessary to achieve a significant result.

[0101] After the treatment period, the cells are tested either for thelevel of NTP expression and/or, if the cells are neuronal cells,examined for the presence and/or frequency of neuritic sprouting, nervecell death, degenerating neurons, neurofibrillary tangles, or irregularswollen neurites and axons. In order to test for the level ofNTPexpression, immunohistochemical staining may be carried out as describedin the Examples. Alternatively, the plates containing the cells may becentrifuged to pellet cellular debris from the medium, and a sample ofthe media tested for the NTP concentration. The concentration of NTP maybe determined by ELISA with an antibody which is specific for NTP.Methods for carrying out such assays are disclosed in WO94/10569 and arewell known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The concentration ofNTP in the test cells/media is then compared to the concentration ofcontrol cells that have been treated the same way except that the mediadoes not contain the candidate drug (but may contain the same level ofDMSO). The results of the ELISA are fit to a standard curve andexpressed as ng/mL NTP. See WO96/40895.

[0102] In a preferred in vitro model system, the AD7c-NTP is cloned intoa Lac-Switch inducible system and stably transfected into neuronal cells(e.g., PNET2 (CYZ), SH-Sy5y and hNT2). AD7c-NTP may be the full lengthcDNA or a CAT reporter gene construct. Protein expression is induciblewith 1-5 mM IPTG. Cultures may be examined for cell death, neuriticsprouting and the corresponding changes in gene expression associatedwith these or other AD-related phenomena. Analytical methods availablefor analysis include, but are not limited to, viability (Crystal violet)and metabolic (MTT) assays, western blot and immunocytochemicalstaining, Microtiter ImmunoCytochemical ELISA (MICE) assay, apoptosisDNA fragmentation assays (ladder, end-labeling, Hoechst staining andTUNEL assay) and CAT assay for gene expression studies.

[0103] The effects of candidate drugs on the toxicity ofNTP to neuronalcells can also be determined in primary rat cortical cell culturesaccording to WO96/40895, or with human fetal brain tissue, ordifferentiated neuronal cell lines such as hNT2 and SH-Sy5y cell lines.Alternatively, neuronal cells transformed with and expressing the genecoding for AD7c-NTP as described herein may be used.

[0104] Antisense oligonucleotides have been described as naturallyoccurring biological inhibitors of gene expression in both prokaryotes(Mizuno et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 81:1966-1970 (1984)) andeukaryotes (Heywood, Nucleic Acids Res. 14:6771-6772 (1986)), and thesesequences presumably function by hybridizing to complementary mRNAsequences, resulting in hybridization arrest of translation (Paterson,et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 74:4370-4374 (1987)).

[0105] Antisense oligonucleotides are short synthetic DNA or RNAnucleotide molecules formulated to be complementary to a specific geneor RNA message. Through the binding of these oligomers to a target DNAor mRNA sequence, transcription or translation of the gene can beselectively blocked and the disease process generated by that gene canbe halted (see, for example, Jack Cohen, Oligodeoxynucleotides,Antisense Inhibitors of Gene Expression, CRC Press (1989)). Thecytoplasmic location of mRNA provides a target considered to be readilyaccessible to antisense oligodeoxynucleotides entering the cell; hencemuch of the work in the field has focused on RNA as a target. Currently,the use of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides provides a useful tool forexploring regulation of gene expression in vitro and in tissue culture(Rothenberg, et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 81:1539-1544 (1989)).

[0106] Antisense therapy is the administration of exogenousoligonucleotides which bind to a target polynucleotide located withinthe cells. For example, antisense oligonucleotides may be administeredsystemically for anticancer therapy (WO 90/09180). AD7c-NTP is producedby neuroectodermal tumor cells, malignant astrocytoma cells,glioblastoma cells, and in relatively high concentrations (i.e, relativeto controls) in brain tissue of AD patients. Thus, AD7c-NTP antisenseoligonucleotides of the present invention may be active in treatmentagainst AD, as well as neuroectoderrnal tumors, malignant astrocytomas,and glioblastomas.

[0107] As discussed above, the invention also relates to the correctamino acid and nucleotide sequence for NTP. Thus, the invention alsorelates to antisense oligonucleotides which are complementary to themRNA which may be transcribed from Seq.ID No. 1, wherein saidoligonucleotides correspond to regions of the NTP gene that wereincorrectly sequenced in WO94/23756 and WO96/15272, e.g. in the regionincluding nucleotides 150-1139 (nucleotides 1-148 of FIG. 16R ofpublished application; nucleotides 1-149 of Seq. ID No. 1 of the presentapplication: were correctly sequenced). This incorrect sequence ispresent in Seq. ID Nos. 3 and 4. Thus, the invention relates to anantisense oligonucleotide which is complementary to an NTP mRNA sequencecorresponding to nucleotides 150-1139 of Seq. ID No. 1. Preferebly, theoligonucleotides correspond to regions including nucteotides selectedfrom the group consisisting of nucleotides 150, 194-195, 240-241, 243,244, 255-256, 266-267, 269-271, 276, 267, 279-280, 293-295, 338-340,411, 459, 532-533, 591, 633-644, 795-797, 828, 853-854, 876-877, 883,884-885, 898, 976, 979-980,999, 1037, 1043-1044, 1092-1096, 1099, and1116-1119 of Seq. ID No. 1. More preferably, the invention is related toan antisense oligonucieotide sequence selected from the group consistingof:

[0108] 5′ TTC ATC CTG GGT AAG AGT GGG ACA CCT GTG (Seq. ID No. 9); 5′TGG TGC ATG TCT TTG GTC CCA GCT AC (Seq. ID No. 10); and 5′ ATC AAC CTGGCG AAC ATG GTG AAC CCC ATC (Seq. ID No. 11).

[0109] Also preferably, the sequence is a 15 to 40-mer, more preferably,a 15 to 30-mer. Also preferably, the antisense oligonucleotide it aphosphorothioate or one of the other oligonucleotide derivativesmentioned above. Also preferred are antisense oligonucleotides which arecomplementary to an NTP nucleic acid sequence and which arenonhomologous to PTP nucleic acid sequences and that correspond toregions that were incorrectly sequenced in the past, as well aspharmaceutical compositions comprising such oligonucleotides and apharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

[0110] Included as well in the present invention are pharmaceuticalcompositions comprising an effective amount of at least one of the NTPantisense oligonucleotides of the invention in combination with apharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In one embodiment, a single NTPantisense oligonucleotide is utilized. In another embodiment, two NTPantisense oligonucleotides are utilized which are complementary toadjacent regions of the NTP DNA. Administration of two NTP antisenseoligonucleotides which are complementary to adjacent regions of the DNAor corresponding mRNA may allow for more efficient inhibition of NTPgenomic transcription or mRNA translation, resulting in more effectiveinhibition of NTP production.

[0111] Preferably, the NTP antisense oligonucleotide is coadministeredwith an agent which enhances the uptake of the antisense molecule by thecells. For example, the NTP antisense oligonucleotide may be combinedwith a lipophilic cationic compound which may be in the form ofliposomes. The use of liposomes to introduce nucleotides into cells istaught, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,897,355 and 4,394,448. See alsoU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,235,871, 4,231,877, 4,224,179, 4,753,788, 4,673,567,4,247,411, 4,814,270 for general methods of preparing liposomescomprising biological materials.

[0112] Alternatively, the NTP antisense oligonucleotide may be combinedwith a lipophilic carrier such as any one of a number of sterolsincluding cholesterol, cholate and deoxycholic acid. A preferred sterolis cholesterol.

[0113] In addition, the NTP antisense oligonucleotide may be conjugatedto a peptide that is ingested by cells. Examples of useful peptidesinclude peptide hormones, antigens or antibodies, and peptide toxins. Bychoosing a peptide that is selectively taken up by the neoplastic cells,specific delivery of the antisense agent may be effected. The NTPantisense oligonucleotide may be covalently bound via the 5′OH group byformation of an activated aminoalkyl derivative. The peptide of choicemay then be covalently attached to the activated NTP antisenseoligonucleotide via an amino and sulfhydryl reactive hetero bifunctionalreagent. The latter is bound to a cysteine residue present in thepeptide. Upon exposure of cells to the NTP antisense oligonucleotidebound to the peptide, the peptidyl antisense agent is endocytosed andthe NTP antisense oligonucleotide binds to the target NTP mRNA toinhibit translation(Haralambid et al., WO 8903849; Lebleu et al., EP0263740).

[0114] The NTP antisense oligonucleotides and the pharmaceuticalcompositions of the present invention may be administered by any meansthat achieve their intended purpose. For example, administration may beby parenteral, subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular,intra-peritoneal, transdermal, intrathecal or intracranial routes. Thedosage administered will be dependent upon the age, health, and weightof the recipient, kind of concurrent treatment, if any, frequency oftreatment, and the nature of the effect desired.

[0115] Compositions within the scope of this invention include allcompositions wherein the NTP antisense oligonucleotide is contained inan amount effective to achieve inhibition of proliferation and/orstimulate differentiation of the subject cancer cells, or alleviate AD.While individual needs vary, determination of optimal ranges ofeffective amounts of each component is with the skill of the art.Typically, the NTP antisense oligonucleotide may be administered tomammals, e.g. humans, at a dose of 0.005 to 1 mg/kg/day, or anequivalent amount of the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, perday of the body weight of the mammal being treated.

[0116] Antisense oligonucleotides can be prepared which are designed tointerfere with transcription of the NTP gene by binding transcribedregions of duplex DNA (including introns, exons, or both) and formingtriple helices (U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,121, U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,607,WO96/35706, WO96/32474, WO94/17091, WO94/01550, WO 91/06626, WO92/10590). Preferred oligonucleotides for triple helix formation areoligonucleotides which have inverted polarities for at least two regionsof the oligonucleotide (Id.). Such oligonucleotides comprise tandemsequences of opposite polarity such as 3′---5′-L-5′---3′, or5′---3′-L-3′---5′, wherein L represents a 0-10 base oligonucleotidelinkage between oligonucleotides. The inverted polarity form stabilizessingle-stranded oligonucleotides to exonuclease degradation (Froehler etal., supra). Preferred oligonucleotides are nonhomologous to PTP nucleicacid sequences, and correspond to regions that were incorrectlysequenced in the past. The invention is related as well topharmaceutical compositions comprising such oligodeoxynucleotides and apharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

[0117] In therapeutic application, the triple helix-formingoligonucleotides can be formulated in pharmaceutical preparations for avariety of modes of administration, including systemic or localizedadministration, as described above.

[0118] The antisense oligonucleotides and triple helix-formingoligonucleotides of the present invention may be prepared according toany of the methods that are well known to those of ordinary skill in theart, including methods of solid phase synthesis and other methods asdisclosed in the publications, patents and patent applications citedherein.

[0119] The invention is also directed to ribozymes comprising a targetsequence which is complementary to an NTP sequence of Seq. ID No. 1 andnonhomologous to PTP nucleic acid sequences and that correspond toregions that were incorrectly sequenced in the past, as well aspharmaceutical compositions comprising such ribozymes and apharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

[0120] Ribozymes provide an alternative method to inhibit mRNA function.Ribozymes may be RNA enzymes, self-splicing RNAs, and self-cleaving RNAs(Cech et al., Journal of Biological Chemistry 267:17479-17482 (1992)).It is possible to construct de novo ribozymes which have an endonucleaseactivity directed in trans to a certain target sequence. Since theseribozymes can act on various sequences, ribozymes can be designed forvirtually any RNA substrate. Thus, ribozymes are very flexible tools forinhibiting the expression of specific genes and provide an alternativeto antisense constructs.

[0121] A ribozyme against chloramphenicol acetyltransferase mRNA hasbeen successfully constructed (Haseloff et al., Nature 334:585-591(1988); Uhlenbeck et al., Nature 328:596-600 (1987)). The ribozymecontains three structural domains: 1) a highly conserved region ofnucleotides which flank the cleavage site in the 5′ direction; 2) thehighly conserved sequences contained in naturally occurring cleavagedomains of ribozymes, forming a base-paired stem; and 3) the regionswhich flank the cleavage site on both sides and ensure the exactarrangement of the ribozyme in relation to the cleavage site and thecohesion of the substrate and enzyme. RNA enzymes constructed accordingto this model have already proved suitable in vitro for the specificcleaving of RNA sequences (Haseloff et al., supra). Examples of suchregions include the antisense oligonucleotides mentioned above.

[0122] Alternatively, hairpin ribozymes may be used in which the activesite is derived from the minus strand of the satellite RNA of tobaccoring spot virus (Hampel et al., Biochemistry 28:4929-4933 (1989)).Recently, a hairpin ribozyme was designed which cleaves humanimmunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA (Ojwang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.USA 89:10802-10806 (1992)). Other self-cleaving RNA activities areassociated with hepatitis delta virus (Kuo et al., J. Virol.62:4429-4444 (1988)). See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,143 for methods ofpreparing and using ribozymes. Preferably, theNTP ribozyme molecule ofthe present invention is designed based upon the chloramphenicolacetyltransferase ribozyme or hairpin ribozymes, described above.Alternatively, NTP ribozyme molecules are designed as described byEckstein et al. (International Publication No. WO 92/07065) who disclosecatalytically active ribozyme constructions which have increasedstability against chemical and enzymatic degradation, and thus areuseful as therapeutic agents.

[0123] In an alternative approach, an external guide sequence (EGS) canbe constructed for directing the endogenous ribozyme, RNase P, tointracellular NTP mRNA, which is subsequently cleaved by the cellularribozyme (Altman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,053). Preferably, the NTPEGS comprises a ten to fifteen nucleotide sequence complementary toAD7c-NTP mRNA (corresponding to the miss-sequenced regions) and a3′-NCCA nucleotide sequence, wherein N is preferably a purine (Id.).After NTP EGS molecules are delivered to cells, as described below, themolecules bind to the targeted NTP mRNA species by forming base pairsbetween the NTP mRNA and the complementary NTP EGS sequences, thuspromoting cleavage of NTP mRNA by RNase P at the nucleotide at the5′side of the base-paired region (Id.).

[0124] Examples of such external guide sequences are: CAC TGC ACT TNC CA(Seq. ID No. 12) CCA GGT GTA GNC CA (Seq. ID No. 13) CAA GGT CCA GNC CA(Seq. ID No. 14)

[0125] Included as well in the present invention are pharmaceuticalcompositions comprising an effective amount of at least one NTPantisense oligonucleotide, triple helix-forming oligonucleotide, NTPribozyme or NTP EGS of the invention in combination with apharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Preferably, the NTP anti senseoligonucleotide, triple helix-forming oligonucleotide, NTP ribozyme orNTP EGS is coadministered with an agent which enhances the uptake of theNTP antisense oligonucleotide, triple helix-forming oligonucleotide,ribozyme or NTP EGS molecule by the cells. For example, the NTPantisense oligonucleotide, triple helix-forming oligonucleotide, NTPribozyme or NTP EGS may be combined with a lipophilic cationic compoundwhich may be in the form of liposomes, as described above.Alternatively, the NTP antisense oligonucleotide, NTP triplehelix-forming oligonucleotide, NTP ribozyme or NTP EGS may be combinedwith a lipophilic carrier such as any one of a number of sterolsincluding cholesterol, cholate and deoxycholic acid. A preferred sterolis cholesterol.

[0126] The NTP antisense oligonucleotide, NTP triple helix-formingoligonucleotide, NTP ribozyme or NTP EGS, and the pharmaceuticalcompositions of the present invention may be administered by any meansthat achieve their intended purpose. For example, administration may beby parenteral, subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular,intra-peritoneal, transdermal, intrathecal or intracranial routes. Thedosage administered will be dependent upon the age, health, and weightof the recipient, kind of concurrent treatment, if any, frequency oftreatment, and the nature of the effect desired. For example, as much as700 milligrams of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide has been administeredintravenously to a patient over a course of 10 days (i.e., 0.05mg/kg/hour) without signs of toxicity (Sterling, “Systemic AntisenseTreatment Reported,” Genetic Engineering News 12(12):1, 28 (1992)).

[0127] Compositions within the scope of this invention include allcompositions wherein the NTP antisense oligonucleotide, NTP triplehelix-forming oligonucleotide, NTP ribozyme or NTP EGS is contained inan amount which is effective to achieve inhibition of proliferationand/or stimulate differentiation of the subject cancer cells, oralleviate AD. While individual needs vary, determination of optimalranges of effective amounts of each component is with the skill of theart.

[0128] In addition to administering the NTP antisense oligonucleotides,triple helix-forming oligonucleotides, ribozymes, or NTP EGS as a rawchemical in solution, the therapeutic molecules may be administered aspart of a pharmaceutical preparation containing suitablepharmaceutically acceptable carriers comprising excipients andauxiliaries which facilitate processing of the NTP antisenseoligonucleotide, triple helix-forming oligonucleotide, ribozyme, or NTPEGS into preparations which can be used pharmaceutically. Suitableformulations for parenteral administration include aqueous solutions ofthe NTP antisense oligonucleotides, NTP triple helix-formingoligonucleotides, NTP ribozymes, NTP EGS in water-soluble form, forexample, water-soluble salts. In addition, suspensions of the activecompounds as appropriate oily injection suspensions may be administered.Suitable lipophilic solvents or vehicles include fatty oils, forexample, sesame oil, or synthetic fatty acid esters, for example, ethyloleate or triglycerides. Aqueous injection suspensions may containsubstances which increase the viscosity of the suspension include, forexample, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, sorbitol, and/or dextran.Optionally, the suspension may also contain stabilizers.

[0129] Alternatively, NTP antisense oligonucleotides, NTP triplehelix-forming oligonucleotides, NTP ribozymes, and NTP EGS can be codedby DNA constructs which are administered in the form of virions, whichare preferably incapable of replicating in vivo (see, for example,Taylor, WO 92/06693). For example, such DNA constructs may beadministered using herpes-based viruses (Gage et al., U.S. Pat. No.5,082,670). Alternatively, NTP antisense oligonucleotides, NTP triplehelix-forming oligonucleotides, NTP ribozymes, and NTP EGS can be codedby RNA constructs which are administered in the form of virions, such asretroviruses. The preparation of retroviral vectors is well known in theart (see, for example, Brown et al., “Retroviral Vectors,” in DNACloning: A Practical Approach, Volume 3, IRL Press, Washington, D.C.(1987)).

[0130] According to the present invention, gene therapy can be used toalleviate AD by inhibiting the inappropriate expression of a particularform of NTP. Moreover, gene therapy can be used to alleviate AD byproviding the appropriate expression level of a particular form of NTP.In this case, particular NTP nucleic acid sequences may be coded by DNAor RNA constructs which are administered in the form of viruses, asdescribed above. Alternatively, “donor cells” may be modified in vitrousing viral or retroviral vectors containing NTP sequences, or usingother well known techniques of introducing foreign DNA into cells (see,for example, Sambrook et al., supra). Such donor cells includefibroblast cells, neuronal cells, glial cells, and connective tissuecells (Gage et al., supra). Following genetic manipulation, the donorcells are grafted into the central nervous system and thus, thegenetically-modified cells provide the therapeutic form of NTP (Id.).

[0131] Moreover, such virions may be introduced into the blood streamfor delivery to the brain. This is accomplished through the osmoticdisruption of the blood brain barrier prior to administration of thevirions (see, for example, Neuwelt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,042). The bloodbrain barrier may be disrupted by administration of a pharmaceuticallyeffective, nontoxic hypertonic solution, such as mannitol, arabinose, orglycerol (Id.).

[0132] Having now generally described the invention, the same will bemore readily understood through reference to the following Exampleswhich are provided by way of illustration, and are not intended to belimiting of the present invention, unless specified.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Isolation of the AD7c-NTP cDNA

[0133] A cDNA library was prepared commercially (Invitrogen Corp., SanDiego, Calif.) using RNA extracted from the temporal lobe of anindividual with end-stage AD. The library was ligated into the pcDNA2vector (InVitrogen). To isolate the AD7c-NTP gene, approximately 5×10⁵transformed and IPTG induced (Sambrook, J. et al. “Molecular Cloning. ALaboratory Manual,” Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold SpringHarbor, N.Y.) E. coli colonies were screened using polyclonal antibodiesto human PTP (Gross, J. et al., “Isolation, Characterization, andDistribution of an Unusual Pancreatic Human Secretory Protein,” J. Clin.Invest. 76:2115-2126 (1985)), followed by radiolabeled anti-human IgG(Amersham, Arlington Heights, Ill.) (Sambrook, J. et al. (1989); andAusubel, F. M. et al., “Current Protocols in Molecular Biology,” NewYork, N.Y., John Wiley & Sons (1988)). Restriction endonucleasefragments (XhoI-PstI; PstI-PvuII; PvuII-HindIII) of AD7c-NTP weresubcloned into pGem7 (Promega Corp., Madison, Wis.), and the nucleotidesequence of both strands was determined by the dideoxy chain terminationmethod using T7 DNA polymerase (Ausubel, F. M. et al. (1988)).Additional gene specific primers were generated to generate sequencesthat overlapped the fragments. The DNA sequence was assembled with theMacVector Software version 4.5 and analyzed using a Sequence AnalysisSoftware of the Genetics Computer Group version 7.3 as implemented on aMicroVax II computer. Database searches were performed using the BLASTnetwork service of the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

[0134] Characteristics of the AD7c-NTP cDNA Isolated from an AD BrainLibrary

[0135] The AD7c-NTP cDNA contains 1442 nucleotides and begins with anoligo-dT track. The nucleotide sequence contains an 1125-nucleotide openreading frame starting with the first AUG codon, and a 302-nucleotideuntranslated sequence that contains an AATAAA polyadenylation signal(FIG. 1). Bestfit and GAP analysis revealed the presence of fourAlu-type sequences embedded in the open reading frame (nucleotides1-170, 423-593, 595-765, and 898-1068), and a near-duplication (85%identical) of the first 450 nucleotides starting at nucleotide 898.BLAST database comparisons disclosed 3 regions of significance (67-89%)homology to the Huntington's disease region, chromosome 4pl6.3 (Gusella,J. F. et al., “A Polymorphic DNA Marker Genetically Linked toHuntington's Disease,” Nature 306:24-238 (1983)) (FIG. 1), but noalignment with the IT 15 Huntington cDNA which contains longer thannormal (CAG)_(n) repeats in individuals with Huntington's disease (TheHuntington's Disease Collaborative Research Group, “A Novel GeneContaining a Trinucleotide Repeat that is Expanded and Unstable onHuntington's Disease Chromosomes,” Cell 72:971-983 (1993)).

[0136] The translated 375 amino acid sequence has apredicted molecularweight of 41,718 and estimated pI of 9.89, and is rich in Ser (11.7%)and Pro (8.8%) residues. Kyte-Doolittle and Chou-Fasman hydrophilicityand Hopp-Woods surface probability profiles predict a 15 amino acidhydrophobic leader sequence, and 7 membrane-spanning regions.Corresponding with the organization of the cDNA, subsequent analysis ofthe protein revealed four 83% to 91% identical repeated (once or twice)antigenic domains between 9 and 23 amino acids in length (FIG. 1).Protein subsequent analysis demonstrated 21 cAMP, calmodulin-dependentprotein kinase II, protein kinase C, or glycogen synthase kinase 3phosphorylation sites, and one myristyration site. In addition, a singletgf motif (Residues #44-#53) was detected. Comparison of the AD7c-NTPamino acid sequence with the genebank database revealed four regions ofsignificant homology to the β-subunit of integrin (72%-80%), thealternatively spliced A4 form of the neurofibromatosis 2 gene (72%-81%),myelin oligodendroglial glycoprotein-16 precursor protein (70%-76%),human integral membrane protein (55%-85%), and human decay acceleratingfactor 2 precursor (62%-68%), and two regions with homology to the c-relprotooncogene transforming protein (Residues 56-84: 65%; Residues287-295: 88%) (FIG. 1). Residues 5-24 are 75% identical to a region ofthe IGF1/insulin receptor hybrid, and residues 4-24,47-79, 109-132,227-261, and 227-360 exhibit 57% to 76% identity with the humantransformation-related protein. In addition, two serine/threonine kinaseprotein domains (Residues 6-48, and 272-294) were identified.

[0137] The in vitro translated protein and pTrcHis-AD7c-NTP recombinantprotein purified by metal chelate chromatography and cleaved from thefusion partner had molecular masses of ˜39-42 kD by SDS-PAGE or Westernblot analysis (FIG. 2). In addition, in Bosc cells transfected with theAD7c-NTP cDNA ligated into the pcDNA3 vector (Invitrogen, San Diego,Calif.), a single 39-42 kD protein was detected by Western blot analysisusing the N3I4 monoclonal antibody. In two-site immunoradiometric assaysand immunoblotting studies, the AD7c-NTP recombinant protein exhibitedspecific immunoreactive binding with all of the polyclonal andmonoclonal antibodies generated with purified pTrcHis-AD7c-NTPrecombinant protein. No immunoreactivity with AD7c-NTP was detectedusing pre-immune rabbit sera, non-relevant rabbit polyclonal antibodiesto GAP-43, or non-relevant monoclonal antibodies to Dengue virus or FB50(FIG. 2).

Example 2 In Vitro Expression of AD7c-NTP

[0138] Antisense and sense cRNAs were transcribed from AD7c-NTP cDNAplasmid with KpnI and XhoI, respectively. The cRNA transcripts weretranslated in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system (Stratagene, La Jolla,Calif.) in the presence of [³⁵S]methionine (Dupont-New England Nuclear,Boston, Mass.), and the products of in vitro translation were analyzedby SDS-PAGE and autoradiography. The AD7c-NTP cDNA was ligated into thepTrcHis expression vector (Invitrogen Corp., San Diego, Calif.) whichencodes a 5 N 6-His Tag sequence used to isolate the fusion protein bymetal chelate chromatography. Recombinant fusion protein induction intransformed E. coli was achieved by the addition of 1 mM IPTG during logphase growth. The fusion protein was affinity purified (Ausubel, F. M.et al. (1988)) using ProBond resin (Invitrogen Corp., San Diego,Calif.), and detected by Western blot analysis (Harlow, E. and Lane, D.,“Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual,” Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, ColdSpring Harbor, N.Y. (1988)) with antibodies to do T7-tag fusion partner(Novogen). The tag was then cleaved with entrokinase to give theAD7c-NTP protein. (Ausubel, R. M et al. (eds.) in Current Protocols inMolecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1994.

Example 3 Generation of Polyclonal and Monoclonal Antibodies toRecombinant AD7c-NTP

[0139] Polyclonal antibodies were generated in rabbits immunized withaffinity purified recombinant AD7c-NTP protein. Monoclonal antibodieswere generated in Balb/c mice immunized intraperitoneally with 50 μg ofpurified recombinant AD7c-NTP protein emulsified in complete Freund'sadjuvant (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. (1988); and Wands, J. R. and Zurawski,V. R., Jr., “High Affinity Monoclonal Antibodies to Hepatitis B surfaceAntigen (HBsAg) produced by Somatic Cell Hybrids,” Gastroeneology80I:225-232 (1981)). The mice were boosted 6 to 10 weeks later, with 10μg AD7c-NTP by tail vein injection. Spleenocytes were fused with SP-0myeloma cells (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. (1988) and Wands, J. R. andZurawski, V. R., Jr. (1981)). The cells were grown in HAT medium, andhybridomas producing anti-AD7c-NTP antibody were identified by solidphase immunoassay (Bellet, D. H. et al., “Sensitive and Specific Assayfor Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Based on Anti-Peptide andAnti-Glycoprotein Monoclonal Antibodies: Construction and ClinicalImplications,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metabol. 63:1319-1327(1988)). Thebinding specificity of the immunoglobulin fractions of polyclonal immunesera and the hybridoma supernatants was confirmed by radioimmunoassay(RIA) and Western blot analysis with recombinant AD7c-NTP, and byWestern blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining of AD and agedcontrol brains. In a panel of 25 hybridomas, 3 MoAbs exhibited similarlevels of immunoreactivity with purified native PTP and recombinantAD7c-NTP, and therefore were further characterized (Table 1). TABLE 1Profiles of Immunoreactivity Exhibited by AD7c-NTP Monoclonal AntibodiesAntibody Western Blot ICC* AD Specific** Distribution of Labeling in ADBrains N2B10 Y: Reducing Negative N/A None N215 Y: Reducing Negative N/ANone N2J1 Yes ++ Yes Neuropil threads, irregular neurites, axons N2R1 NoNegative N/A None N2S6 Y: Reducing ++++ Yes Neurons N2T8 Y: Reducing++++ Yes Degenerating neurons, NFT, irregular neurites N2U6 Yes +++ YesNeuropil threads, NFT N3A13 No + No None N3C11 No ++ No None N3D12 No +No None N314 Y: Nonreducing Negative N/A None N2-36 No + Yes NET,Swollen neurites N2-22-11 No Negative N/A None Polyclonal Yes ++++ Yes†Degenerating neurons, irregular neurites

[0140] Profiles of AD7c-NTP Immunoreactivity Revealed with MoAbs (Table1):

[0141] The findings summarized below are representative of theobservations made in 6 end-stage AD and 5 aged control brains.Twenty-five of the AD7c-NTP MoAbs were characterized byimmunocytochemical staining. Table 1 details features of 13 AD7c-NTPMoAbs. The other 12 MoAbs were excluded from the list because eitherthey were not suitable for immunocytochemical staining and Westernimmunoblot studies due to low-level binding (N=9), or they exhibitedcross-immunoreactivity with pancreatic thread protein (N=3). Among the13 AD7c-NTP MoAbs that were further characterized, only 8 exhibitedimmunoreactivity in neuronal perikarya, neuropil fibers, white matterfibers (axons), or AD neurodegenerative lesions. The other 5 werenon-immunoreactive in histologic sections.

[0142] In Table 1, AD-specific binding refers to the detection ofdegenerating neurons, neurofibrillary tangles, irregular swollenneurites and axons, or immunoreactivity in histologically intact neuronsin AD but not control brains. Four AD7c-NTP MoAbs (N2-36, N3-C11, N2S6,N2-T8) exhibited intense degrees of immunocytochemical staining incortical neurons, particularly pyramidal cells in layers 3 and 5. TwoMoAbs (N2-U6, N2-S6) prominently labeled neuropil and white matterfibers (axons), and 5 (N2-U6, N3-C11, N2-S6, N2-T8, N2-J1) detectedA2B5+ and GFAP+ protoplasmic (Type 2) astrocytes in the cerebral cortexand white matter. Two AD7c-NTP MoAbs (N2-U6 and N2-T8) exhibited intenselabeling of cortical neurons and swollen, irregular (dystrophic)neuropil neurites in AD, but low-level or absent labeling in agedcontrol brains. Most striking was the immunoreactivity observed inAD-associated neurodegenerative lesions using the N2-36, N2-T8, N2-U6MoAbs. N2-T8 detected intracellular neurofibrillary tangles as well asdegenerated neurons without neurofibrillary tangles; N3-D12, N2-T8, andN2-J1 labeled swollen dystrophic axons and fine neuritic processes,particularly in superficial layers of the cerebral cortex; and N2-U6 andN2-J1 labeled wavy irregular threadlike structures detected only in ADbrains. N2J1 very prominently labeled irregular threadlike structures,dystrophic neurites, and swollen axons, but exhibited minimal labelingof neuronal perikarya or glial cells. The negative control 5C3 MoAb toHepatitis B virus was not immunoreactive with adjacent sections of thesame brains.

[0143] In the Examples which follow, polyclonal and the N3I4, N2J1, andN2U6 monoclonal AD7c-NTP antibodies were employed.

Example 4 Human Brain Tissue

[0144] Human brain tissue was obtained from the Alzheimer's DiseaseResearch Center brain bank at the Massachusetts General Hospital(MGH-ADRC). All brains were harvested within 12 hr of death, and thehistopathological diagnosis of AD was rendered using CERAD criteria(Mirra, S. S. et al., “The Consortium to Establish a Registry forAlzheimer's Disease (CERAD). II. Standardization of theNeuropathological assessment of Alzheimer's Disease,” Neurology41:479-486 (1991)). The AD group (N=17) had a mean age of 76.3±8.8years, a mean brain weight of 1117±101 grams, and a mean postmorteminterval of 7.3±3.9 hours. The control group (N=11) had a mean age of78.0±6.2 years, a mean brain weight of 1274±115 grams, and a meanpostmortem interval of 8.3±3.6 hours. In addition, 4 cases of earlyprobable AD with cognitive decline and moderate AD histopathologicallesions, and 2 cases of diffuse Lewy body disease (Kosaka, K. “Dementiaand Neuropathology in Lewy Body Disease,” Adv. Neurol. 60:456-463(1993)) (DLBD: an AD-related CNS neurodegenerative disease) werestudied. Fresh frozen frontal and temporal lobe tissue was used forNorthern and Western blot analyses. Post-mortem cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) samples (8 AD; 7 control; 2 DLBD) were used to detect AD7c-NTP byWestern blot analysis. Paraffin-embedded histological sections were usedto localize AD7c-NTP gene expression by in situ hybridization andimmunohistochemical staining.

Example 5 Northern Analysis of AD7c-NTP mRNA Expression

[0145] Samples (15 μg) of total RNA isolated (Ausubel, F. M. et al.(1988)) from AD and aged control frontal lobe tissue (Brodmann Area 11),and normal adult human kidney, liver, spleen, gastrointestinal tract,ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, thyroid, lung, skeletal muscle, andpancreas, were subjected to Northern hybridization analysis using 2×10⁶dpm/ml of [α²P]dCTP-labeled AD7c-NTP cDNA probe (specific activity ˜10⁸dpm/μg DNA) generated by the random hexamer method (Ausubel, F. M. etal. (1988)). The blots were subsequently washed in stepwise dilutions of5× SSC (1× SSC is 0.15 M NaCl plus 0.015 M sodium citrate) containing0.5% SDS (Sambrook, J. et al. (1989); Ausubel, F. M. et al. (1988)), andfinally in 0.1× SSC/0.5% SDS at 65° C. To evaluate RNA loading, theblots were stripped of probe and re-hybridized with a 10-fold molarexcess of a [γ³²P]ATP-labeled synthetic 30mer corresponding to 18sribosomal RNA (de la Monte, S. M. and Bloch, K. D. (1996)). The resultswere analyzed by autoradiography and densitometry (ImageQuant, MolecularDynamics, Inc).

[0146] Results: AD 7c-NTP mRNA Expression in AD andAged Control Brains

[0147] In Northern blot hybridization studies, AD7c-NTP CDNA probesdetected 1.4 kB and 0.9 kB mRNA transcripts in adult human frontal andtemporal lobe tissue, but not pancreas, kidney, liver, spleen,gastrointestinal tract (various regions) ovaries, fallopian tubes,uterus, thyroid, lung, skeletal muscle, testis, and thymus werenegative. Both 1.4 kB and 0.9 kB AD7c-NTP mRNA transcripts were detectedin AD and aged control brains, but the levels of expression wereincreased in AD. With values normalized to 18S RNA signals to correctfor differences in loading and non-specific degradation, densitometricanalysis of non-saturated autoradiograms revealed significantly highermean levels of both the 1.4 kB (P<0.01) and the 0.9 kB (P<0.05) AD7c-NTPtranscripts in AD compared with normal aged control brains.

Example 6 Reverse Transcriptase-polymerase Chain Reaction Amplification(RT-PCR) Studies

[0148] Samples of total RNA (2 μg) isolated from human brain, PNET1 andPNET2 human CNS neuronal cell lines (The, I. et al., “Neurofibromatosistype 1 Gene Mutations in Neuroblastoma,” Nature Genet. 3:62-66 (1993))(positive controls), SH-Sy5y human neuroblastoma cells (Biedler, J. L.et al., “Morphology and Growth, Tumorigenicity, and Cytogenetics ofHuman Neuroblastoma Cells in Continuous Culture,” Cancer Res.33:2643-2652 (1973)), and human pancreas and liver (negative controls)were reverse transcribed using random hexamer primers (Ausubel, F. M.(1988)) and Superscript™ reverse transcriptase (Gibco-BRL, Grand Island,N.Y.). The CDNA products (10%) were subjected to PCR amplification todetect AD7c-NTP sequences using the primers: (459-480) 5′TGTCCCACTCTTACCCAGGATG [Seq ID No. 5] and (849-826) 5′AAGCAGGCAGATCACAAGGTCCAG [Seq. ID No. 6]. β-actin control primers(Dallman, M. J. and Porter, A. C. G., “Semi-Quantitative PCR for theAnalysis of Gene Expression,” In: PCR A Practical Approach, M. J.McPherson et al. (eds.), IRL Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp.215-224 (1991)) (5′ AATGGATGACGATATCGCTG [Seq. ID No. 7];5′-ATGAGGTAGTCTGTCAGGT [Seq. ID No. 8]) were incorporated into allstudies. Each cycle of PCR amplification consisted of denaturation at95° C. for 30 secs, annealing at 60° C. for 30 secs, and extension at72° C. for 1 min. After 30 cycles and a final 10 minute extension at 72°C., approximately 10 percent of the PCR products were analyzed byagarose gel electrophoresis and Southern hybridization using a[γ³²P]dATP-labeled oligonucleotide probe corresponding to nucleotides702-720 of the AD7c-NTP cDNA. The remaining PCR products wereelectrophoretically fractionated and ligated into PCRII TA cloningvectors (InVitrogen Corp, San Diego, Calif.). The nucleotide sequencesof clones isolated from 6 brain samples were determined by the dideoxychain termination method (Sambrook, J. et al., (1989); Ausubel, F. M.(1988)).

[0149] Expression ofAD7c-NTP mRNA in human brain was verified by RT-PCRamplification of RNA isolated from 6 AD and 5 aged control brains(frontal lobe). The expected 390 nucleotide PCR product was obtainedwith all samples. The specificity of the PCR products was demonstratedby Southern blot analysis using [³²P]-labeled oligonucleotide probescorresponding to internal sequences, and by determining that the nucleicacid sequences of the 390-nucleotide PCR products cloned from 5 ADbrains were identical to the sequence underlined in FIG. 1. In theRT-PCR amplification studies, AD7c-NTP PCR products were also detectedusing RNA isolated from PNET1, PNET2 and SH-Sy5y neuronal cells, but nothuman pancreas or liver. All samples analyzed yielded positive RT-PCRproducts using the β-actin primers.

Example 7 In Situ Hybridization

[0150] Paraffin sections (10 μm thick) of AD and control brains werehybridized with antisense and sense (negative control) AD7c-NTP cRNAprobes (de la Monte S. M. et al, (1995); de la Monte, S. M. and Bloch,K. D. (1996)) generated from cDNA templates linearized with KpnI orXhoI, and labeled with [11-digoxigenin]UTP using SP6toT7 DNA dependentRNA polymerase(Melton, D. A. et al. “Efficient in Vitro Synthesis ofBiologically Active RNA and RNA Hybridization Probes from PlasmidsContaining a Bacteriophage SP6 Promoter,” Nucl. Acids Res. 12:7035-7056(1984)). Specifically bound probe was detected with alkalinephosphatase-conjugated sheep F(ab′)₂ anti-digoxigenin(Boehringer-Mannheim Inc.) andX-phosphate/5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-phosphate/nitro-blue-tetrazolium-chloride (de la Monte, S. M. and Bloch, K. D. (1996)). The probespecificity was confirmed by Northern blot analysis of brain usingidentical cRNA probes labeled with [α³²P]UTP.

[0151] Results: Cellular Localization of AD7c-NTP mRNA in Human Brain

[0152] In situ hybridization studies using [11-digoxigenin]UTP-labeledantisense cRNA probes demonstrated AD7c-NTP-related mRNA transcripts infrontal (Brodmann Area 11) and temporal (Brodmann Area 21) cortexneurons in both AD (N=6) and aged control (N=4) brains (FIG. 3).However, darkfield microscopy revealed strikingly elevated levels ofAD7c-NTP mRNA expression in both temporal and frontal cortex neurons inAD relative to aged control brains, corresponding with the results ofNorthern blot analysis. Low levels of AD7c-NTP mRNA transcripts werealso detected in cortical and white matter glial cells in AD. AD7c-NTPmRNA transcripts were not detected in cerebral blood vessels, andspecific hybridization signals were not observed in any of the specimenshybridized with digoxigenin-labeled sense strand cRNA probes.

Example 7 Immunodetection of AD7c-NTP Expression

[0153] Western immunoblotting studies (Harlow, E. and Lane, D. (1988))were performed using protein extracts (60 μg samples) generated frompostmortem frontal and temporal lobe tissue, and various non-CNS tissueshomogenized in RIPA buffer (Ausubel, F. M. et al (1988)). In addition,40 μl samples of postmortem or antemortem cerebrospinal fluid wereevaluated by Western blot analysis. The blots were probed with rabbitpolyclonal (1:800) or N3I4, N2U6, or N2J1 mouse monoclonal (5 μg/ml)anti-AD7c-NTP. Antibody binding was detected with horseradishperoxidase-conjugated secondary antibody diluted 1:25,000 (Pierce), andSupersignal enhanced chemiluminescence reagents (Pierce). The levels ofAD7c-NTP expression were quantified by volume densitometric scanning ofthe autoradiograms (ImageQuant; Molecular Dynamics Inc., Sunnyvale,Calif.). Cellular localization of AD7c-NTP immunoreactivity wasdemonstrated in paraffin-embedded histological sections of frontal(Brodmann Area 11) and temporal (Brodmann Area 21) lobe from AD andage-matched control brains. The sections were immunostained by theavidin-biotin horseradish peroxidase complex method (de la Monte, S. M.et al. (1995); and de la Monte, S. M. and Bloch, K. D. (1996)) using theN2J1 and N2U6 AD7c-NTP monoclonal antibodies. Adjacent sections wereimmunostained with monoclonal antibodies to glial fibrillary acidicprotein as a positive control, and with monoclonal antibodies to Denguevirus as a negative control.

[0154] Results: Characterization of AD7c-NTP Antibody Binding by WesternBlot Analysis

[0155] In Western immunoblotting studies of protein extracted from humanfrontal and temporal lobe tissue, broad ˜39-45 kD bands of AD7c-NTPimmunoreactivity were detected with the polyclonal and 11 of the 25monoclonal antibodies. When the proteins were electrophoreticallyfractionated in 15% Laemmli gels and probed with the N3I4, N2U6, or N2J1monoclonal antibodies, the ˜39-45 kD AD7c-NTP-immunoreactive moleculeswere resolved into 3 or 4 tightly clustered bands (FIG. 2E), possiblyrepresenting different degrees of AD7c-NTP phosphorylation. In addition,the polyclonal and 4 of the monoclonal antibodies detected 18-21 kDAD7c-NTP-immunoreactive proteins in brain (FIG. 2E). Western blotanalysis of non-CNS tissues revealed no specific binding with theAD7c-NTP antibodies.

Example 8 In vitro Expression Studies

[0156] The AD7c-NTP cDNA was ligated into the pcDNA3 mammalianexpression vector which contains a CMV promoter (InVitrogen, San Diego,Calif.). SH-Sy5y cells were transfected with either pcDNA3-AD7c-NTP orpcDNA3 (empty vector, negative control), and selected with G418. Stablytransfected cell lines were examiner for growth properties, morphology,and expression of AD7c-NTP. Cell growth was assessed by measuring [³H]thymidine incorporation into DNA and determining the density of viablecells in the cultures. Cells grown in chamberslides were immunostainedusing N3I4 monoclonal antibody. AD7c-NTP expression was also evaluatedby Western blot analysis with the N3I4 antibody.

[0157] Results: Over-Expression of AD7c-NTP in Neuronal Cells Leads toApoptosis, Neuritic Sprouting Which are Characteristic of Alzheimer'sDisease

[0158] Over-expression of AD7c-NTP in SH-Sy5y neuronal cells stablytransfected with pcDNA3-AD7c-NTP resulted in significantly lowerdensities of viable cells in the cultures, despite normal or elevatedlevels of DNA synthesis (FIG. 5). This result was reproducible in otherneuronal cells lines and using other expression vectors. Reduced celldensity in the cultures was caused by increased cell death. Theattendant increase in nuclear p53 expression in AD7c-NTP transfectedcells suggests that the cell death is likely to be mediated byapoptosis. Subconfluent cultures of SH-Sy5y cells transfected withpcDNA3 contained round or spindled shaped cells with few or no processes(FIG. 6A). In contrast, SH-Sy5y cells transfected with pcDNA3-AD7c-NTPexhibited extensive neuritic growth with fine interconnecting processesdetected on most cells (FIGS. 6B-6D). In addition, pcDNA3-AD7c-NTPtransfected cultures always contained numerous round, refractilefloating cells (dead) which failed to exclude Trypan blue dye.Immunocytochemical staining of stationary cultures using the N3I4monoclonal antibody revealed intense labeling of the cell bodies andcell processes of SH-Sy5y cells transfected with pcDNA3-AD7c-NTP (FIGS.6F and 6G), and absent immunoreactivity in SH-Sy5y cells transfectedwith pcDNA3 (empty vector) (FIG. 6E). These studies demonstrate thatover expression of AD7c-NTP in transfected neuronal cells promotesneuritic sprouting and cell death, two of the major features ofAlzheimer's disease neurodegeneration. Thus, transfected cell lines andtransgenic animals which over-express the AD7c-NTP will be useful forscreening drugs that might be effective in reducing AD7c-NTP expressionand, thereby, treating or preventing the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Example 9 AD 7c-NTP Protein Expression in AD and Aged Control Brains

[0159] Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining of AD andaged control brains were performed using the N3I4, N2U6, and N2J1monoclonal AD7c-NTP antibodies. In AD and aged control brains, ˜39-45 kDproteins were detected with all 3 monoclonal antibodies. In addition,˜18-21 kD proteins were detected with the N2U6 and N2J1 antibodies.Densitometric analysis of the autoradiograms demonstrated significantlyhigher levels of the ˜39-45 kD AD7c-NTP in AD relative to aged controlfrontal lobe tissue (FIG. 2D). In addition, expression of the ˜18-21 kDAD7c-NTP-immunoreactive proteins was also increased in AD, but studieshave not yet determined whether these molecules represent cleavageproducts of the ˜39-45 kD AD7c-NTP, or a unique protein encoded byanother cDNA. In a small series, comparisons between early and late ADrevealed higher levels of AD7c-NTP immunoreactivity in brains withend-stage disease (FIG. 2E). Using the N3I4 antibody, Western blotanalysis detected the presence of ˜39-45 kD AD7c-NTP molecules inpostmortem CSF, and higher levels in AD relative to aged control samples(FIG. 2F). Immunohistochemical staining studies with polyclonal andseveral brain-specific monoclonal antibodies localized AD7c-NTPimmunoreactivity in neurons, neuropil fibers, and white matter fibers inAD and control brains. In immunohistochemical staining studies, the N2U6and N2J1 antibodies exhibited intense immunoreactivity in intact as wellas degenerating cortical neurons and dystrophic neurites in AD brains,but low-level or absent immunoreactivity in aged control brains (FIG.4). Omission or pre-adsorption of the primary antibody with recombinantAD7c-NTP protein, or the application of non-relevant primary antibody(negative controls) also yielded negative immunostaining results. Allsections of brain exhibited positive immunoreactivity with monoclonalantibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein (positive control).

[0160] These studies demonstrate elevated levels of AD7c-NTP expressionin AD relative to aged control brains, and abnormal AD7c-NTP geneexpression localized in AD brain neurons by in situ hybridization andimmunohistochemical staining. Although two distinct mRNA transcripts andat least two distinct protein species were detected in brain, the levelsof the mRNA and protein corresponding to AD7c-NTP were increased in AD.We have not yet determined whether the smaller transcripts and proteinspecies are distinct, or represent alternately spliced forms of a singlegene. Although the cDNA was isolated from a library prepared with RNAisolated from a single AD brain, the RT-PCR studies conformned thepresence of identical sequences in 6 different AD brains. Since theAD7c-NTP cDNA exhibits no significant primary sequence homology with thehuman pancreatic protein (Watanabe, T. et al., “Complete NucleotideRepeat that is expanded and Unstable on Huntington's DiseaseChromosomes,” Cell 72:971-983 (1993)), the cross-reactivity ofpolyclonal antibodies with AD7c-NTP molecule probably occurs throughconformational epitopes. Increased expression of AD7c-NTP was observedin both histologically intact and degenerating neurons and cellprocesses, and a recent study suggested that AD7c-NTP protein expressionoccurs early in AD neurodegeneration.

Example 10 In Vitro Drug Screening System

[0161] AD7c-NTP was cloned into a Lac-Switch expression vector(Stratgene), and CYZ neuronal cells were stably transformed with theconstruct. Several cell lines were selected that expressed AD7c-NTP atvarious levels, Lac A-Lac F, after induction of protein expression withIPTG. Experiments were done to determine the effect (e.g., change inmorphology, gene expression, viability, etc.) of AD7c-NTP expression onneuronal cells, thereby generating markers useful for screening, invitro, potential pharmacologic agents for the treatment of AD.

[0162] Expression levels were determined by Microtiter ImmunCytochemicalElisa Assay (MICE). Briefly, 10⁴ cells/well were seeded into 96-wellplates, and were induced to express AD7c-NTP for a period of 6-18 hrs;additionally, in some experiments, cells were exposed to toxins orprotective agents for a similar period of time. At the end the treatmentperiod, cells were fixed, permeabilized and immunostained with theappropriate antibody following the ABS procedure. Quantitation was doneby incubating cells with a soluble chromagen, stopping the reaction with2M H₂SO₄ and determining chromagen absorbance in an automated ELISAreading machine. After staining with Coommassie Blue, the ratio ofimmunoreactivity (i.e. bound chromagen) to Coommassie Blue absorbancewas determined (MICE units), and the results were graphed.Alternatively, immunoreactivity may also be determined with aprecipitating chromagen (e.g. DAB, TruBlue or AEC).

[0163] For Experiments determining cell viability, after culture andtreatment as for the MICE assay, culture media was replaced with aCrystal Violet/PBS/formalin solution. After staining, cells were rinsedthoroughly and lysed with a PBS/1% SDS solution, and absorbance wasdetermined with an automated ELSA reader. Results were graphed aspercent viability.

[0164] Results: Over-Expression of AD7c-NTP in Neuronal Cells Leads toAlterations in Gene Expression, Cell Viability and ToxinHypersensitivity

[0165] Expression ofAD7c-NTP results in altered expression of genesassociated with AD (Tau, bA4 amyloid), neuritic sprouting(synaptophysin) and apoptosis (p53, SC95-Fas, NO-Tyr, NOS3) (FIGS. 7A-7Cand 8A-8D). In FIGS. 7A-7C, the percent change in expression, 24 hrs.after AD7c-NTP induction, is presented for the indicated genes. In theabsence of AD7c-NTP expression (FIG. 7A), little or no change in geneexpression is observed in Lac A-control, nonexpressing cells; however,similar experiments done with Lac B (FIG. 7B) and Lac F (FIG. 7C) cellsinduced to express different levels of AD7c-NTP (B6) demonstrate markedchanges in gene expression. For example, NOS3 is expressed at almosttwice the normal level in the Lac B-B6 experiment (FIG. 7B) than in LacA-control cells (FIG. 7A).

[0166] FIGS. 8A-8D demonstrate that altered gene expression is dependenton the level of AD7c-NTP induction. Results are presented for the NTP(FIG. 8A), Synaptohysin (FIG. 8B), Tau (FIG. 8C) and p53 (FIG. 8D) genesas percent change in expression as a function of IPTG induction ofAD7c-NTP expression in stably transfected, CYZ neuronal cells. LacB(filled square) and LacF (open circle) cells were exposed to theindicated amounts of IPTG (1-5 mM) for 24 hrs. These data indicate thatincreased concentrations of IPTG leads to an up-regulation of all genesexamined.

[0167] Two assays were used to evaluate the effects of AD7c-NTPexpression in CYZ neuronal cells: metabolic activity was measured by theMTT assay (FIG. 9A), and cell death was measured by the CV viabilityassay (FIG. 9B). Results are expressed as percent change in MTT activityor cell viability 24 hrs. after IPTG induction relative to untreated,parallel control cultures. Six different clones, LacA-LacF, were assayedafter IPTG induction (B6) and compared to LacA control cells lackingAD7c-NTP. For all 6 clones examined, stimulation of AD7c-NTP expressionresults in substantially reduced metabolic activity relative to controlcells (FIG. 9A). Cell death was induced in LacB-B6 and LacF cells, andreduced cell viability was observed in LacA-B6 and LacE-B6 clones.

[0168] Decreased cell viability of cells expressing AD7c-NTP isexacerbated by oxidative stress. When LacB and LacF cells were inducedwith 3 mM IPTG (B6) for 24 hrs or 48 hrs. and exposed to toxins thatincrease oxidative stress for 6 hrs or 24 hrs. (FIGS. 10A and 10B,respectively), cell viability decreased markedly as compared toLacA-control, nonexpressing cells. Results depicted in FIGS. 10A and 10Bestablish both that longer AD7c-NTP induced expression and longerexposure to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and diethyldithiocarbamic acid(DDC) lead to decreased cell viability and increased hypersensitivity,respectively.

[0169] In order to determine the reason for decreased cell viability,experiments were done to quantitatively measure apoptosis in stablytransfected, CYZ neuronal cells expressing AD7c-NTP; results arepresented in FIG. 11. The degree of apoptosis was determined byincubating cells in the presence of ³²dCTP to measuretemplate-independent incorporation of label into fragmented DNA, acharacteristic of the apoptotic mechanism of cell death. Comparison ofcontrol (uninduced, transfected cells) with 3 mM induced (indicated byB6) LacA, LacB and LacF cells clearly indicates that expression ofAD7c-NTP leads to increased incorporation of ³²dCTP label into cellularDNA (increased apoptosis). Variations in the incorporation of labelbetween IPTG induced cell lines are attributed to differences in thelevel of AD7c-NTP expression.

[0170] The established in vitro system provides a means for screeningpharmacologic agents that modulate or counteract the changes effectedthrough AD7c-NTP expression and, ostensibly, the AD process. AD7c-NTPexpression leads to up-regulation of nitric oxide synthase which, insome neuronal cells, causes oxygen free radical formation. Theexperiment depicted in FIG. 12 establishes that AD7c-NTP inducedoxidative stress can be counteracted by pharmacologic agents. Resultsare expressed as the ratio of percent change in viability forexperimental (AD7c-NTP induced) over control, uninduced cells. In FIG.12, CYZ cells, stably transfected with AD7c-NTP, are induced to expressAD7c-NTP and exposed to various pharmacologic agents. Hydrogen peroxide(H₂O₂) and diethyldithiocarbamic acid (DDC) exacerbate cell death, whileagents such pyroglutamate (PG) (and L-NAME and L-arginine) inhibit orreduce the nitric oxide synthase toxicity attributable to AD7c-NTPexpression.

[0171] From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easilyascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changesand modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages andconditions without undue experimentation. All patents, patentapplications and publications cited herein are incorporated by referencein their entirety.

1 14 1442 base pairs nucleic acid double both cDNA CDS 15..1139 1TTTTTTTTTT TGAG ATG GAG TTT TCG CTC TTG TTG CCC AGG CTG GAG TGC 50 MetGlu Phe Ser Leu Leu Leu Pro Arg Leu Glu Cys 1 5 10 AAT GGC GCA ATC TCAGCT CAC CGC AAC CTC CGC CTC CCG GGT TCA AGC 98 Asn Gly Ala Ile Ser AlaHis Arg Asn Leu Arg Leu Pro Gly Ser Ser 15 20 25 GAT TCT CCT GCC TCA GCCTCC CCA GTA GCT GGG ATT ACA GGC ATG TGC 146 Asp Ser Pro Ala Ser Ala SerPro Val Ala Gly Ile Thr Gly Met Cys 30 35 40 ACC CAC GCT CGG CTA ATT TTGTAT TTT TTT TTA GTA GAG ATG GAG TTT 194 Thr His Ala Arg Leu Ile Leu TyrPhe Phe Leu Val Glu Met Glu Phe 45 50 55 60 CTC CAT GTT GGT CAG GCT GGTCTC GAA CTC CCG ACC TCA GAT GAT CCC 242 Leu His Val Gly Gln Ala Gly LeuGlu Leu Pro Thr Ser Asp Asp Pro 65 70 75 TCC GTC TCG GCC TCC CAA AGT GCTAGA TAC AGG ACT GGC CAC CAT GCC 290 Ser Val Ser Ala Ser Gln Ser Ala ArgTyr Arg Thr Gly His His Ala 80 85 90 CGG CTC TGC CTG GCT AAT TTT TGT GGTAGA AAC AGG GTT TCA CTG ATG 338 Arg Leu Cys Leu Ala Asn Phe Cys Gly ArgAsn Arg Val Ser Leu Met 95 100 105 TGC CCA AGC TGG TCT CCT GAG CTC AAGCAG TCC ACC TGC CTC AGC CTC 386 Cys Pro Ser Trp Ser Pro Glu Leu Lys GlnSer Thr Cys Leu Ser Leu 110 115 120 CCA AAG TGC TGG GAT TAC AGG CGT GCAGCC GTG CCT GGC CTT TTT ATT 434 Pro Lys Cys Trp Asp Tyr Arg Arg Ala AlaVal Pro Gly Leu Phe Ile 125 130 135 140 TTA TTT TTT TTA AGA CAC AGG TGTCCC ACT CTT ACC CAG GAT GAA GTG 482 Leu Phe Phe Leu Arg His Arg Cys ProThr Leu Thr Gln Asp Glu Val 145 150 155 CAG TGG TGT GAT CAC AGC TCA CTGCAG CCT TCA ACT CCT GAG ATC AAG 530 Gln Trp Cys Asp His Ser Ser Leu GlnPro Ser Thr Pro Glu Ile Lys 160 165 170 CAT CCT CCT GCC TCA GCC TCC CAAGTA GCT GGG ACC AAA GAC ATG CAC 578 His Pro Pro Ala Ser Ala Ser Gln ValAla Gly Thr Lys Asp Met His 175 180 185 CAC TAC ACC TGG CTA ATT TTT ATTTTT ATT TTT AAT TTT TTG AGA CAG 626 His Tyr Thr Trp Leu Ile Phe Ile PheIle Phe Asn Phe Leu Arg Gln 190 195 200 AGT CTC AAC TCT GTC ACC CAG GCTGGA GTG CAG TGG CGC AAT CTT GGC 674 Ser Leu Asn Ser Val Thr Gln Ala GlyVal Gln Trp Arg Asn Leu Gly 205 210 215 220 TCA CTG CAA CCT CTG CCT CCCGGG TTC AAG TTA TTC TCC TGC CCC AGC 722 Ser Leu Gln Pro Leu Pro Pro GlyPhe Lys Leu Phe Ser Cys Pro Ser 225 230 235 CTC CTG AGT AGC TGG GAC TACAGG CGC CCA CCA CGC CTA GCT AAT TTT 770 Leu Leu Ser Ser Trp Asp Tyr ArgArg Pro Pro Arg Leu Ala Asn Phe 240 245 250 TTT GTA TTT TTA GTA GAG ATGGGG TTC ACC ATG TTC GCC AGG TTG ATC 818 Phe Val Phe Leu Val Glu Met GlyPhe Thr Met Phe Ala Arg Leu Ile 255 260 265 TTG ATC TCT GGA CCT TGT GATCTG CCT GCC TCG GCC TCC CAA AGT GCT 866 Leu Ile Ser Gly Pro Cys Asp LeuPro Ala Ser Ala Ser Gln Ser Ala 270 275 280 GGG ATT ACA GGC GTG AGC CACCAC GCC CGG CTT ATT TTT AAT TTT TGT 914 Gly Ile Thr Gly Val Ser His HisAla Arg Leu Ile Phe Asn Phe Cys 285 290 295 300 TTG TTT GAA ATG GAA TCTCAC TCT GTT ACC CAG GCT GGA GTG CAA TGG 962 Leu Phe Glu Met Glu Ser HisSer Val Thr Gln Ala Gly Val Gln Trp 305 310 315 CCA AAT CTC GGC TCA CTGCAA CCT CTG CCT CCC GGG CTC AAG CGA TTC 1010 Pro Asn Leu Gly Ser Leu GlnPro Leu Pro Pro Gly Leu Lys Arg Phe 320 325 330 TCC TGT CTC AGC CTC CCAAGC AGC TGG GAT TAC GGG CAC CTG CCA CCA 1058 Ser Cys Leu Ser Leu Pro SerSer Trp Asp Tyr Gly His Leu Pro Pro 335 340 345 CAC CCC GCT AAT TTT TGTATT TTC ATT AGA GGC GGG GTT TCA CCA TAT 1106 His Pro Ala Asn Phe Cys IlePhe Ile Arg Gly Gly Val Ser Pro Tyr 350 355 360 TTG TCA GGC TGG TCT CAAACT CCT GAC CTC AGG TGACCCACCT GCCTCAGC 1159 Leu Ser Gly Trp Ser Gln ThrPro Asp Leu Arg 365 370 375 TCCAAAGTGC TGGGATTACA GGCGTGAGCC ACCTCACCCAGCCGGCTAAT TTAGATAA 1219 AAATATGTAG CAATGGGGGG TCTTGCTATG TTGCCCAGGCTGGTCTCAAA CTTCTGGC 1279 CATGCAATCC TTCCAAATGA GCCACAACAC CCAGCCAGTCACATTTTTTA AACAGTTA 1339 TCTTTATTTT AGTATACTAG AAAGTAATAC AATAAACATGTCAAACCTGC AAATTCAG 1399 GTAACAGAGT TCTTTTATAA CTTTTAAACA AAGCTTTAGA GCA1442 375 amino acids amino acid linear protein 2 Met Glu Phe Ser Leu LeuLeu Pro Arg Leu Glu Cys Asn Gly Ala Ile 1 5 10 15 Ser Ala His Arg AsnLeu Arg Leu Pro Gly Ser Ser Asp Ser Pro Ala 20 25 30 Ser Ala Ser Pro ValAla Gly Ile Thr Gly Met Cys Thr His Ala Arg 35 40 45 Leu Ile Leu Tyr PhePhe Leu Val Glu Met Glu Phe Leu His Val Gly 50 55 60 Gln Ala Gly Leu GluLeu Pro Thr Ser Asp Asp Pro Ser Val Ser Ala 65 70 75 80 Ser Gln Ser AlaArg Tyr Arg Thr Gly His His Ala Arg Leu Cys Leu 85 90 95 Ala Asn Phe CysGly Arg Asn Arg Val Ser Leu Met Cys Pro Ser Trp 100 105 110 Ser Pro GluLeu Lys Gln Ser Thr Cys Leu Ser Leu Pro Lys Cys Trp 115 120 125 Asp TyrArg Arg Ala Ala Val Pro Gly Leu Phe Ile Leu Phe Phe Leu 130 135 140 ArgHis Arg Cys Pro Thr Leu Thr Gln Asp Glu Val Gln Trp Cys Asp 145 150 155160 His Ser Ser Leu Gln Pro Ser Thr Pro Glu Ile Lys His Pro Pro Ala 165170 175 Ser Ala Ser Gln Val Ala Gly Thr Lys Asp Met His His Tyr Thr Trp180 185 190 Leu Ile Phe Ile Phe Ile Phe Asn Phe Leu Arg Gln Ser Leu AsnSer 195 200 205 Val Thr Gln Ala Gly Val Gln Trp Arg Asn Leu Gly Ser LeuGln Pro 210 215 220 Leu Pro Pro Gly Phe Lys Leu Phe Ser Cys Pro Ser LeuLeu Ser Ser 225 230 235 240 Trp Asp Tyr Arg Arg Pro Pro Arg Leu Ala AsnPhe Phe Val Phe Leu 245 250 255 Val Glu Met Gly Phe Thr Met Phe Ala ArgLeu Ile Leu Ile Ser Gly 260 265 270 Pro Cys Asp Leu Pro Ala Ser Ala SerGln Ser Ala Gly Ile Thr Gly 275 280 285 Val Ser His His Ala Arg Leu IlePhe Asn Phe Cys Leu Phe Glu Met 290 295 300 Glu Ser His Ser Val Thr GlnAla Gly Val Gln Trp Pro Asn Leu Gly 305 310 315 320 Ser Leu Gln Pro LeuPro Pro Gly Leu Lys Arg Phe Ser Cys Leu Ser 325 330 335 Leu Pro Ser SerTrp Asp Tyr Gly His Leu Pro Pro His Pro Ala Asn 340 345 350 Phe Cys IlePhe Ile Arg Gly Gly Val Ser Pro Tyr Leu Ser Gly Trp 355 360 365 Ser GlnThr Pro Asp Leu Arg 370 375 1381 base pairs nucleic acid double bothcDNA 3 TTTTTTTTTT GAGATGGAGT TTTCGCTCTT GTTGCCCAGG CTGGAGTGCA ATGGCGCAAT60 CTCAGCTCAC CGCAACCTCC GCCTCCCGGG TTCAAGCGAT TCTCCTGCCT CAGCCTCCCC 120AGTAGCTGGG ATTACAGGCA TGTGCACCAC GCTCGGCTAA TTTTGTATTT TTTTTTAGTA 180GAGATGGAGT TTAACTCCAT GTTGGTCAGG CTGGTCTCGA ACTCCCGACC TCAGATGATC 240TCCCGTCTCG GCCTGCCCAA AGTGCTGAGA TTACAGGCAT GAGCCACCAT GCCCGGCCTC 300TGCCTGGCTA ATTTTTGTGG TAGAAACAGG GTTTCACTGA TGTTGCCCAA GCTGGTCTCC 360TGAGCTCAAG CAGTCCACCT GCCTCAGCCT CCCAAAGTGC TGGGATTACA GGCGTCAGCC 420GTGCCTGGCC TTTTTATTTT ATTTTTTTTA AGACACAGGT GTACCACTCT TACCCAGGAT 480GAAGTGCAGT GGTGTGATCA CAGCTCACTG CAGCCTTCAA CTCCTGAGAT CAAGCAATCC 540TCCTGCCTCA GCCTCCCAAG TAGCTGGGAC CAAAGACATG CACCACTACA CCTGGTAATT 600TTTATTTTTA TTTTTAATTT TTTGAGACAG AGTCTCACTC TGTCACCCAG GCTGGAGTGC 660AGTGGCGCAA TCTTGGCTCA CTGCAACCTC TGCCTCCCGG GTTCAAGTTA TTCTCCTGCC 720CCAGCCTCCT GAGTAGCTGG GACTACAGGC GCCCACCACG CCTAGCTAAT TTTTTTGTAT 780TTTTAGTAGA GATGGGGTTT CACCATGTTC GCCAGGTTGA TCTTGATCTC TTGACCTTGT 840GATCTGCCTG CCTCGGCCTA CCCAAAGTGC TGGGATTACA GGTCGTGACT CCACGCCGGC 900CTATTTTTAA TTTTTGTTTG TTTGAAATGG AATCTCACTC TGTTACCCAG GTCGGAGTGC 960AATGGCAAAT CTCGGCTACT CGCAACCTCT GCCTCCCGGG TCAAGCGATT CTCCTGTCTC 1020AGCCTCCCAA GCAGCTGGGA TTACGGGACC TGCACCACAC CCCGCTAATT TTTGTATTTT 1080CATTAGAGGC GGGTTTACCA TATTTGTCAG GCTGGGTCTC AAACTCCTGA CCTCAGGTGA 1140CCCACCTGCC TCAGCCTTCC AAAGTGCTGG GATTACAGGC GTGAGCCACC TCACCCAGCC 1200GGCTAATTTG GAATAAAAAA TATGTAGCAA TGGGGGTCTG CTATGTTGCC CAGGCTGGTC 1260TCAAACTTCT GGCTTCAGTC AATCCTTCCA AATGAGCCAC AACACCCAGC CAGTCACATT 1320TTTTAAACAG TTACATCTTT ATTTTAGTAT ACTAGAAAGT AATACAATAA ACATGTCAAA 1380 C1381 1418 base pairs nucleic acid both both cDNA 4 TTTTTTTTTT GAGATGGAGTTTTCGCTCTT GTTGCCCAGG CTGGAGTGCA ATGGCGCAAT 60 CTCAGCTCAC CGCAACCTCCGCCTCCCGGG TTCAAGCGAT TCTCCTGCCT CAGCCTCCCC 120 AGTAGGCTGG GATTACAGGCATGTGCACCA CGCTCGGCTA ATTTTGTATT TTTTTTTAGT 180 AGAGATGGAG TTTCTCCATGTTGGTCAGGC TGGTCTCGAA CTCCGACCTC AGATGATCCT 240 CCCGTCTCGG CCTCCCAAAGTGCTAGATAC AGGACTGAGC ACCATGCCCG GCCTCTGCCT 300 GGCTAATTTT TGTGGTAGAAACAGGGTTTC ACTGATGTGC CCAAGCTGGT CTCCTGAGCT 360 CAAGCAGTCC ACCTGCCTCAGCCTCCCAAA GTGCTGGGAT TACAGGCGTG CAGCCGTGCC 420 TGGCCTTTTT ATTTTATTTTTTTTAAGACA CAGGTGTCCC ACTCTTACCC AGGATGAAGT 480 GCAGTGGTGT GATCACAGCTCACTGCAGCC TTCAACTCTG AGATCAAGCA TCCTCCTGCC 540 TCAGCCTCCC AAAGTAGCTGGGACCAAAGA CATGCACCAC TACACCTGGC TAATTTTTAT 600 TTTTATTTTT AATTTTTTGAGACAGAGTCT CAACTCTGTC ACCCAGGCTG GAGTGCAGTG 660 GCGCAATCTT GGCTCACTGCAACCTCTGCC TCCCGGGTTC AAGTTATTCT CCTGCCCCAG 720 CCTCCTGAGT AGCTGGGACTACAGGCGCCC ACCACGCCTA GCTAATTTTT TTGTATTTTT 780 AGTAGAGATG GGGTTTCACCATGTTCGCCA GGTTGATGCT AGATCTCTTG ACCTTGTGAT 840 CTGCCTGCCT CGGCCTCCCAAAGTGCTGGG ATTACAGGAC GTGACGCCCA CCGCCCGGCC 900 TATTTTTAAT TTTTGTTTGTTTGAAATGGA ATCTCACTCT GTTACCCAGG CTGGAGTGCA 960 ATGGCCAAAT CTCGGCTCACTGCAACCTCT GCCTCCCGGG CTCAAGCGAT TCTCCTGTCT 1020 CAGCCTCCCA AGCAGCTGGGATTACGGGCA CCTGCACCAC ACCCCGCTAA TTTTTGTATT 1080 TTCATTAGAG GCGGGGTTTCACCATATTTG TCAGGCTGGT CTCAAACTCC TGACCTCAGG 1140 TGACCCACCT GCCTCAGCCTTCCAAAGTGC TGGGATTACA GGCGTGACGC CTCACCCAGC 1200 CGGCTAATTT AGATAAAAAAATATGTAGCA ATGGGGGGTC TTGCTATGTT GCCCAGGCTG 1260 GTCTCAAACT TCTGGCTTCATGCAATCCTT CCAAATGAGC CACAACACCC AGCCAGTCAC 1320 ATTTTTAAAC AGTTACATCTTTATTTTAGT ATACTAGAAA GTGATACGAT AACATGGCGG 1380 AACCTGCAAA TTCGAGTAGTACAGAGTCTT TTATAACT 1418 22 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA 5TGTCCCACTC TTACCCAGGA TG 22 24 base pairs nucleic acid single linearcDNA 6 AAGCAGGCAG ATCACAAGGT CCAG 24 20 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear cDNA 7 AATGGATGAC GATATCGCTG 20 19 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear cDNA 8 ATGAGGTAGT CTGTCAGGT 19 30 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear cDNA 9 TTCATCCTGG GTAAGAGTGG GACACCTGTG 30 26 base pairs nucleicacid single linear cDNA 10 TGGTGCATGT CTTTGGTCCC AGCTAC 26 30 base pairsnucleic acid single linear cDNA 11 ATCAACCTGG CGAACATGGT GAACCCCATC 3014 base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA 12 CACTGCACTT NCCA 14 14base pairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA 13 CCAGGTGTAG NCCA 14 14 basepairs nucleic acid single linear cDNA 14 CAAGGTCCAG NCCA 14

What is claimed is:
 1. A DNA construct, which comprises a DNA moleculeof Seq. ID No. 1 or a DNA molecule which is at least 40% homologousthereto, or a fragment thereof, wherein said DNA molecule is undercontrol of a heterologous neuro-specific promoter.
 2. The DNA constructof claim 1, which is contained within a vector.
 3. The DNA construct ofclaim 1, which is contained by a viron.
 4. The DNA construct of claim 1,wherein said DNA molecule has Seq. ID No.
 1. 5. A host cell transformedwith the DNA construct of claim
 1. 6. The host cell line of claim 5,which is a neuronal cell.
 7. A transgenic non-human animal, all of whosegerm and somatic cells comprises the DNA molecule of Seq. ID No. 1 or aDNA molecule which is at least 40% homologous thereto.
 8. The transgenicnon-human animal of claim 7, wherein the DNA molecule contained in eachgerm and somatic cell has Seq. ID No.
 1. 9. The transgenic non-humananimal of claim 7, wherein the protein coded for by said DNA molecule isoverexpressed in the brain of the animal.
 10. An in vitro method forscreening a candidate drug that is potentially useful for the treatmentor prevention of Alzheimer's disease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignantastrocytomas, and glioblastomas, which comprises (a) contacting acandidate drug with the host cell line of claim 5, and (b) detecting atleast one of the following: (i) the suppression or prevention ofexpression of the protein coded for by the DNA construct; (ii) theincreased degradation of the protein coded for by the DNA construct; or(iii) the reduction of frequency of at least one of neuritic sprouting,nerve cell death, degenerating neurons, neurofibrillary tangles, orirregular swollen neurites and axons in the host; due to the drugcandidate compared to a control cell line which has not contacted thecandidate drug.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said protein hasSeq. ID No.
 2. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein said protein isover-expressed by said host cell.
 13. The method of claim 10, whereinsaid cell is a neuronal cell.
 14. An in vivo method for screening acandidate drug that is potentially useful for the treatment orprevention of Alzheimer's disease, neuroectodermal tumors, malignantastrocytomas, and glioblastomas, which comprises (a) administering acandidate drug to the transgenic animal of claim 7, and (b) detecting atleast one of the following: (i) the suppression or prevention ofexpression of the protein coded for by the DNA construct contained bysaid animal; (ii) the increased degradation of the protein coded for bythe DNA construct contained by said animal; or (iii) the reduction offrequency of at least one of neuritic sprouting, nerve cell death,degenerating neurons, neurofibrillary tangles, or irregular swollenneurites and axons in the host; due to the drug candidate compared to acontrol animal which has not received the candidate drug.
 15. The methodof claim 14, wherein the DNA construct contained by said animal has Seq.ID No.
 1. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the protein coded for bythe DNA construct contained by said animal is over-expressed in thebrain of said animal.
 17. An antisense oligonucleotide which iscomplementary to an NTP mRNA sequence corresponding to nucleotides150-1139 of Seq. ID No.
 1. 18. The antisense oligonucleotide of claim17, which is a 15 to 40-mer.
 19. The antisense oligonucleotide of claim17, wherein said anti sense oligonucleotide is selected from the groupconsisting of Seq ID Nos. 9 to
 11. 20. The antisense oligonucleotide ofclaim 17, which is deoxyribonucleic acid.
 21. The anti senseoligonucleotide of claim 17, which is a deoxyribonucleic acidphosphorothioate.
 22. The antisense oligonucleotide of claim 17, whichis a derivative of a deoxyribonucleic acid or a deoxyribonucleic acidphosphorothioate.
 23. A pharmaceutical composition comprising theantisense oligonucleotide of claim 17 and a pharmaceutically acceptablecarrier.
 24. A ribozyme comprising a target sequence which iscomplementary to an NTP mRNA sequence corresponding to nucleotides150-1139 of Seq. ID No.
 1. 25. A pharmaceutical composition comprisingthe ribozyme of claim 24 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 26.An oligodeoxynucleotide that forms triple stranded regions with the aregion of AD7c-NTP coding nucleic acid and having the sequence3′X5′-L-5′X3′, wherein X comprises an AD7c-NTP nucleic acid sequencecorresponding to nucleotides 150-1139 of Seq. ID No. 1, and wherein Lrepresents an oligonucleotide linker or a bond.
 27. A pharmaceuticalcomposition comprising the oligodeoxynucleotide of claim 26 and apharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 28. An oligodeoxynucleotide thatforms triple stranded regions with the a region of AD7c-NTP codingnucleic acid and having the sequence 5′X3′-L-3′X5′, wherein X comprisesan AD7c-NTP nucleic acid sequence corresponding to nucleotides 150-1139of Seq. ID No. 1, and wherein L represents an oligonucleotide linker ora bond.
 29. A pharmaceutical composition comprising theoligodeoxynucleotide of claim 28 and a pharmaceutically acceptablecarrier.
 30. A ribonucleotide external guide nucleic acid molecule,comprising, a 10-mer nucleotide sequence corresponding to nucleotides150-1139 of Seq. ID No. 1 fused to a 3′NCCA nucleotide sequence, whereinN is a purine.
 31. The ribonucleotide external guide nucleic acidmolecule of claim 30 which is selected from the group consisting of anyone of Seq. ID Nos. 12 to
 14. 32. A pharmaceutical compositioncomprising the ribonucleotide of claim 30 and a pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier.
 33. A method for to treat or prevent dementias ofthe Alzheimer's type of neuronal degeneration; or to treat or preventneuroectodermal tumors, malignant astrocytomas, or glioblastomas,comprising administering to an animal in need thereof an antisenseoligonucleotide, a ribozyme, a triple helix-forming oligonucleotide oran ribonucleotide external guide sequence of any one of claims 17, 24,26, 28, or
 30. 34. The method of claim 32, wherein said antisenseoligonucleotide, ribozyme, triple helix-forming oligonucleotide orribonucleotide external guide sequence is administered to said animal aspart of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.